Changes through Ministry II

ByPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 4 minutes

Welcome, dear friends!

Mercy and peace of God, Father and our Lord, Jesus Christ be with you!

Yesterday we began to discuss the meaning of ministry and what influence it has on your life. As we clarified, that ministry is a practical way to show God’s love to the people around me. We can serve people with everything the Lord has blessed us with, e.g. finances, time, prayers, experience of life, etc. However, it’s important to remember that all these things must be based on love. Giving is the main quality of such love. The Bible says “God is love”.

 

« He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love ». (1st John 4:8).

 

If God is love it’s vitally important to know and understand how Love behaves.

 

« For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life ». (John 3:16).

 

This verse from Scripture says God gave His one and only Son for the salvation of the whole mankind not as an act of feat but because He loves people.

«For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son …» – God proved His love to us through His giving.

 

« But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ». (Romans 5:8).

 

We were dead in our sins, and desperately needed freedom from the slavery of sin and the power of satan. Regardless of our sinful status God came to help us and serve us. He sent His one and only Son to die for our freedom’s sake. Giving (His life) is the exact prove of love. That’s why God calls us to follow Him as His children. Taking into consideration that God is love in what area should we as His children follow Him first? Surely love is the first thing!

 

« Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children. Walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance ». (Ephesians 5:1-2).

 

By living in love we offer ourselves as a sacrifice to God for the benefit of the other people around us.

 

« By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does the love of God remain in him? My little children, let’s not love in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth ». (1st John 3:16-18).

 

Love always gives! We share our property or skills to meet the needs of people God sends on our way. It’s also possible to help other people, even sacrifice yourself, meet all people needs but have no love for them. This is what Paul’s letter to Corinthians tells us:

 

« If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing. If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing ». (1st Corinthians 13:1-3).

 

If our deeds are driven by different motives instead of love, it’s not a ministry in Biblical sense. The bible says, there is no profit for a man whose deeds are done without love. Such ministries or sacrifices do not please our God. So ministry presumes we use every blessing God has given to us to meet the needs of people around us, by expressing the love the Holy Spirit has poured into our hearts.

 

« and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us ». (Romans 5:5).

 

Thus, true ministry starts with discovery of the gifts and assets I possess. After a person has determined what he has, he or she should look around in order to find the people with whom he can share his gifts and assets with. Living this way our life will be filled with joy and satisfaction because of the privilege we have to serve or help somebody else.

Let God pour His love and mercy on you to serve other people!

See you tomorrow.

Rufus Ajiboye, pastor

Similar Posts

  • Apart from Him there is no true satisfaction and happiness! II

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 6 minutes
    Today we will look at some more areas of Solomon’s life where he tried to find happiness and satisfaction. Many people try to do that. Let’s look at the Scripture.«Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind. Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me»(Ecclesiastes, 2:16-17).

    Today we will look at some more areas of Solomon’s life where he tried to find happiness and satisfaction. Many...

  • Life is a Purpose

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 3 minutes
    God has created each of you for a certain purpose. God has a common purpose and a personal (individual) purpose for each of us. Our common goal is to glorify the Lord. However, God also has a peculiar purpose He has created every individual to fulfill. I was sent to the Earth to solve certain problems. If you are driven by such awareness you will live a strategical life. Each of you has a certain goal and a purpose set by God.

    God has created each of you for a certain purpose. God has a common purpose and a personal (individual) purpose...

  • How to enter your ministry?

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 5 minutes
    If a person doesn’t have any desire to serve, it is very difficult to motivate him. This desire has to be strong enough to move you to action; otherwise you won’t do anything. It is easy to teach and lead a person that has a desire and an interest in something. And it is very difficult to convince and motivate the one who is indifferent. Where does the desire to serve come from? This desire comes from the understanding of God’s will and the purpose of our salvation.

    If a person doesn’t have any desire to serve, it is very difficult to motivate him. This desire has to be strong...

  • What are the grounds or foundations of favour? II

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 3 minutes
    Through faith in Jesus Christ we become clothed in his righteousness and nature. In the our spirit we have the perfect character of the Almighty God even though we do not become perfect in our actions immediately after becoming followers of Jesus. We reflect God’s life, character and thoughts more and more in our lives to that extent to which we submit ourselves to the new nature in our spirit. Our daily submission to God’s nature and character in us is what I call practical righteousness that qualifies us for God’s favour.

    Through faith in Jesus Christ we become clothed in his righteousness and nature. In the our spirit we have the...

  • How can we experience God in our life?

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 6 minutes
    Studying the Bible we see God doing great feats through many people. He was able to realise His intentions using those people just due to their revelation and understanding of God´s key principles. While living in the different times, educated on a different level, belonged to the different cultures all Bible heroes basically have something in common. The secret of the success and feats they had is obvious – they knew God and interacted with Him. They experienced God´s power and His mercy in their lives. How did they succeeded? It became possible because they dedicated themselves to God. That´s exactly what God is inviting us to do.

    Studying the Bible we see God doing great feats through many people. He was able to realise His intentions using...

  • The Kingdom of God II

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 5 minutes
    It is impossible to establish God’s Kingdom in our hearts, our lives, our families and all the spheres of our influence without putting forth particular effort. In order for God’s Kingdom to grow we will need to fight and to engage in warfare. So if you have made a decision to have part in expansion of God’s Kingdom in this earth, you can not be a passive observer. Only active people that have taken a position of overcomers in Christ are able to establish the Kingdom in their lives and around them.

    It is impossible to establish God’s Kingdom in our hearts, our lives, our families and all the spheres of our...