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 always choose God´s will

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 3 minutes
    Going through the most difficult ordeal in His life, when Jesus heart was internally struggling whether to accept or to reject God´s will, He proved with His own example that we have to always choose God´s will even if it requires us to go through pain and sufferings. «My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire.» (Matthew 26:39). « … Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.» (Luke 22:42)

    Going through the most difficult ordeal in His life, when Jesus heart was internally struggling whether to accept...

  • Your surrounding has an impact on you, it determines whether you enter the destiny God has prepared for you or you don´t II

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 5 minutes
    Jesus as our Model made friends based on his or her willingness to do God´s will. His never chose friends just because a certain person was a relative or a stranger, poor or rich, a law teacher or a sinner. Those who desired to do God´s will were “a brother, a sister and a mother” to Him. In opposite case Jesus only tried to help such person to understand the purpose of his life and unite him or her with the Creator while those who wanted to do God´s will in their life became His best friends.

    Jesus as our Model made friends based on his or her willingness to do God´s will. His never chose friends just...

  • Value God’s Word!

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 3 minutes
    Today God wants to tell us the same thing. The Word of God is life to us. When God sends us His Word, He offers us life. Rejecting the Word of God we reject life itself. Moses says about God’s Word: «For it is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life…» It is extremely important for us to appreciate the Word of God and not to treat it as something futile, – it is not like a song that we have listened to and then gone to do our own will. It should be to us like the greatest treasure. We have to value God’s Word, to hide it in our hearts, to appreciate it because it is life to us. God says that through the Word and through our right attitude towards it we can extend or prolong our days. Our attitude toward the Word determines whether we will extend our life or shorten it.

    Today God wants to tell us the same thing. The Word of God is life to us. When God sends us His Word, He offers...

  • God calls each of us to do good works in Jesus Name

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 4 minutes
    To do good work means doing what you can do. God never asks you to do something above your abilities. When God asks you to do something, He definitely gives you a supernatural power and capabilities. Do not think of what you cannot accomplish, better do what you can manage then God will lead you into your promised land. Wherever you are, use every opportunity to do what you can do, so you learn doing good works for Jesus then.

    To do good work means doing what you can do. God never asks you to do something above your abilities. When God...

  • The generosity and hospitality that opens doors for God’s intervention

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 4 minutes
    “The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. He said, “If I have found favour in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way – now that you have come to your servant.” “Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.” “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “There in the tent,” he said. Then the Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.”

    “The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent in...

  • Spiritual discipline

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 4 minutes
    The paradox is that most Christians, who discipline themselves in other areas of their life in order to be successful – like job or carrier, do not believe they need to be disciplined in the area of godliness. We are talking about good Christians who are faithful members of the Church of the Living God. These are people who love God’s Word and often are very enthusiastic about the work of God. But because of the lack of discipline they do not reach their potential in God’s Kingdom.

    The paradox is that most Christians, who discipline themselves in other areas of their life in order to be...