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doctrines not only destroy the preacher but sweep
away multitudes of people who believe in it. Hence,
let us keep a close watch on our lives. Let us leave
nothing unattended when the Holy Ghost convicts
us. Else, we will also be of those who have had a
good start but have gradually drifted away from the
Truth. We need to, "Continue steadfastly in prayer,
being watchful in it with thanksgiving" (Col 4:2).
Watchfulness in Ministry
Nowadays, people are not willing to
come for the Lord's ministry. Though there are
several reasons, one of the reasons is that it is being
considered as a menial job. Ministry is being looked
down because of our behaviour. We are demolishing
the Kingdom of God and building our own empires.
We are attaching a price tag to what we have
received freely. We work as if God is our servant.
Gone are the days when we needed money for
ministry. It is now ministry for money. We show
partiality that has been strictly condemned by the
apostle James (2: 1-7). We have forgotten about the
Kingdom work and are ablaze to fulfill our worldly
passions. Ministry has become yet another avenue
to earn. Leonard Ravenhill has clearly captured this
as, "The early church was married to poverty,
prisons and persecutions. Today, the church is
married to prosperity, personality, and popularity."
Instead of filling the world with the church, the
church is being filled with the world.
The ministry that God has given in our
hands is His ministry. He sent His only Son to save us
and to reconcile mankind to Him. He has entrusted
us with this Gospel to win souls for Him. He is eagerly
waiting to receive His Church, the bride. He has kept
us as caregivers. We need to remember that we are
stewards and not shareholders. Christ says, "for you
do not know when the master of the house will come,
in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster
crows, or in the morninglest he come suddenly and
find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay
awake." (Mk 13: 35-37) and "Blessed are those
servants whom the master finds awake when he
comes." (Lk 12: 37). Let us wake up and be good
stewards (Rom 13:11). For when He comes, our
work will be tested by fire (1 Cor 3: 10-15). Only what
has been done by His standards will last. All else will
turn into ash. Let us not minister to meet our needs.
Rather let us sacrificially labour for the Lord and reap
the reward He has kept in store for us.
When I was a child, I used to study using
a kerosene lamp. Once, I noticed that the light
emitted by it was not sufficient and it was about to
die. When I tried to set it right, I noticed that the oil
was full and the wick was also long enough. Unable
to solve the mystery, I took it to my mom. She just
trimmed off the black part of the wick and explained
that carbon settles on the wick and it needs to be
trimmed occasionally.
Yes, dear friends, we may be good or
even exceptionally good in lot of things. Let us keep a
watch on those little areas where we need to trim on
a regular basis. Hence let us trim off that which is
unwanted and be ablaze for the Lord. Let us be like
the wise virgins who were ready in all possible ways
to meet the bridegroom and partook in the marriage
feast. Let us watch therefore, for we know neither
the day nor the hour of His coming (Mt 25:13).
August 2019| www.bymonline.org | page 14