Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 87
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life
Ministries International
Littleton, Colorado
Michael writes about the realization that we are
either “ministering with” another Christian, or we are to be “ministering to”
that same person. That’s an interesting
revelation, isn’t it?
Two things I would recommend as you read Michael’s
writing in Day 203 of My Weakness For His Strength, let the
truths begin to show you just where every individual is in relation to your
ministry AND let the Holy Spirit convince you of the incredible truth in the
three “green” statements. There is a lot
of God in them!
DAY 203
Ministering With And Ministering To
But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction.
--I Thessalonians
5:12
There are those to whom we minister
and also those we find
ourselves ministering with. Regardless of the capacity, we remember that
service in the Body is not a pyramid scheme wherein those who know the most and
sound the most Christian are at the top, while all others strive to reach the
top (anyway, only air is to be found at the top!). Rather, we minister horizontally with the
full knowledge that we have nothing that every believer does not already
possess. However, in this horizontal relationship are those to whom we
are called to minister, and it is always our desire that at some point in time
we will labor with these very same brothers and sisters in ministry to others. We can tell those we minister to
by their attitudes. If they are judgmental, argumentative, overtly or covertly
cutting us to pieces, and pitting themselves against us, we know that these are
the ones we need to minister to. We do not use their behavior as an excuse for having
nothing to do with them. (Matthew 5:46, “For if you love those who love
you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same?”) Rather, we simply recognize that
we cannot yet minister with them. We become so distressed when we
discover that someone we thought was a co-worker is slandering us, when instead
we could simply recognize that this person is not one that we are ministering
with, but to. We need not be
upset at the carnality of others, for we can remember our own. A
long-time friend and I were watching a young man minister in what was obviously
a great exercise in the flesh, since we noticed more of him than of Jesus. My
buddy turned to me and whispered, “Do you know what really bothers me about
that fellow? He reminds me of us when we were his age.” How true.
I have noticed that the only thing that
can suspend an unfinished civil war is a common enemy to unite the previously
warring factions. Often those who walk in the
flesh pick a common enemy and draw up a truce to support one another in the
fighting. Any of us might be picked as that common enemy, but again,
this only reveals those to whom we are to minister.
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
Everybody seems to like “pyramid schemes” because there is the “promise”
of bigger and better things to come. Of
course, once we get involved in one of those schemes, we find that very few
ever get to the top of the pyramid…bummer!
But, when we find “ministering horizontally,” we have such great relief
and peace and enjoyment for that is truthful Christian fellowship (two fellows
in the same boat, rowing in the same direction!)…even when the other fellow
might be someone we minister to! How beautiful
is that!?! And what a change that can
bring to a Christian group!
I remember first hearing Michael talk about “ministering with”…I got so
excited I couldn’t see straight! It
became so comfortable to work alongside another, to have a part in ministry on
the other side of the world, to enjoy the presence of Christ in all that was
done. Oh, that service in the Body could
never be presented as a pyramid scheme, but as the “horizontal shuffle”…everybody
in step with those we are either ministering to, or ministering with! Tell me, how’s your dance step?
To access ALL past weekly
blogs, go to Living
Life With a Capital “C” by logging onto www.leemccm.blogspot.com
Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
leemccm@gmail.com
P. O. Box 633244 Nacogdoches, Tx 75963 936-559-5696
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