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

  • We have to strengthen our spirit

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 4 minutes
    The Bible states «A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?» (Proverbs 18:14). Satan wants to hit our spirit via hardships, trials and problems. When your spirit is strengthened, you can overcome any kind of weakness, get through all kind of hardships and trials. So how can we strengthen our spirit? God´s word and His promises strengthen our spirit and overcome weakness and sufferings. In order to not give up, we need to learn how to lean on the word of God and His promises – fully and unconditionally. We have to learn God´s faithfulness and realise that God will never forsake us unless we abandon Him ourselves.

    The Bible states «A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?» (Proverbs...

  • How did Jesus ensure the presence of God in His life? II

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 4 minutes
    «Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that on of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples» (Luke, 11:1) The disciples understood that the presence of God in the life of Jesus was closely related to His ability to pray, and they decided to watch Him no more. They realized that they also can come into this presence; that is why they asked Jesus about it.

    «Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that on of His disciples said to Him...

  • What are the grounds or foundations of favour?

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 3 minutes
    «For You, O Lord, will bless the RIGHTEOUS; with favour You will surround him (the RIGHTEOUS) as with a shield» (Psalm 5: 12). From the above Scriptures, we can establish that it is righteousness that qualifies a person for receiving blessings and God’s favour. The foundation for favour is righteousness.

    «For You, O Lord, will bless the RIGHTEOUS; with favour You will surround him (the RIGHTEOUS) as with a shield»...

  • How does a truly responsible person look like? III

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 5 minutes
    «..for You (God) have magnified Your word above all Your name» (Psalm 138:2b). We are the children of God, created in the image and after the likeness of God. If our God takes responsibility for what He has said, He expects the same from us. Besides, He does not mean for us to do it on our own; He has sent to us the Helper, Teacher, Comforter and Advocate – the Holy Spirit to be with us at all times.

    «..for You (God) have magnified Your word above all Your name» (Psalm 138:2b). We are the children of God...

  • Prayer is petitioning God and receiving from Him

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 4 minutes
    «Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened» (Mathew, 7:7-8). This passage of Scripture reveals three levels of praying. I really want you to see it. There are quite many places in the Bible where God has made known to us His desires and His will and promises. We can ask in prayer when the will of God has been revealed and made known.

    «Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who...