Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: 7. Have a parental love for the church.To bring a church into existence is often as costly and as painful as bringing a baby to birth.
Paul used the same expression that is used for childbirth. Even after a church has been planted, crises will come during which the God-given leader again goes through the labor and pains of spiritual childbirth. (Google image, People in church)
Paul speaks of his "dear children, for whom [he is] again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you" (Gal. 4:19). Paul had to go through this suffering more than once for the same churches.
Satan may tempt you to give up on your church or group or on some of the people. You may have to ask God to give you a new and deeper love and faith than you have ever had before. The Holy Spirit is always ready to pour more of the love of Christ into your heart.
Paul testified, "We were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children" (Thess. 2:7). The leader often has to nurse sick Christians as if they were spiritual babies again. All Christians do not attain spiritual maturity at the same rate.
Carnal Christians at times seem to regress in maturity. If you carry a Pauline burden for them, you will often go through prayer travail like spiritual birth pains. You will often have to be a nurse to weak believers.
Paul not only testified to a motherly role, but also to a fatherly role. "You know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God" (1 Thess. 2:11-12).
Every parent knows that each child has a different personality. Even so, each believer must be given personal fatherly spiritual help to grow in grace and to become spiritually mature. This requires constant wisdom, the guidance of the Spirit, and the special touch of the Spirit in counseling, strengthening, correcting, and helping.
Leadership is costly, time-consuming, energy-consuming work that makes its demands upon you day and night.
8. Love the church enough to spend yourself and be willing to suffer. You are called to give yourself for the church. Christ was willing to give Himself even to death for it. You may not be called upon to make that extreme a sacrifice, but Paul was willing to suffer whatever it took, even unto death.
Listen to his testimony: "Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church" (Col. 1:24). I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well" (2 Co. 12:15).
"We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our own lives as well, because you had become so dear to us" (1 Thess. 2:8).
There is still a price to be paid for the church. This commitment of time, love, effort, and life-blood will make you, like Paul, a servant of the church . . .
The leader's respect, honor, and dignity are maintained only by the presence and power of God upon his life and ministry. Humble servanthood can actually exalt you in the estimation of your people.
Ablaze for God
#38 Have a Parental Love for the Church
by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
(pp. 132-135) ZondervanPublishingHouse
Today's quote-
Robert Henderson- "The purpose of cases against us in the Courts of Heaven is to steal away dreams, kill ambition and destroy destinies. We cannot imagine how cruel and malicious the accuser really is. We must know how to answer every accusation to silence his desires and secure our destinies." (p. 125 in COURTS OF HEAVEN).
Today's popular post- When God Is Silent
Dr. Charles Stanley shares with us from his
December, 2013 magazine issue, In Touch:
"As Lazarus was dying, his sisters urgently
called for Jesus to come. Imagine how their grief must have compounded when He didn't instantly respond to their request."
Upcoming posts-
Society and the Family
24th Saturday's post by Lee Forbes
#39 The Shepherd Heart
27th- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
#40 Jesus, the Model Shepherd
29th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
A Reason for Everything
31st- Saturday's post by Fran Pasch
Satan may tempt you to give up on your church or group or on some of the people. You may have to ask God to give you a new and deeper love and faith than you have ever had before. The Holy Spirit is always ready to pour more of the love of Christ into your heart.
Paul testified, "We were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children" (Thess. 2:7). The leader often has to nurse sick Christians as if they were spiritual babies again. All Christians do not attain spiritual maturity at the same rate.
Carnal Christians at times seem to regress in maturity. If you carry a Pauline burden for them, you will often go through prayer travail like spiritual birth pains. You will often have to be a nurse to weak believers.
Paul not only testified to a motherly role, but also to a fatherly role. "You know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God" (1 Thess. 2:11-12).
Every parent knows that each child has a different personality. Even so, each believer must be given personal fatherly spiritual help to grow in grace and to become spiritually mature. This requires constant wisdom, the guidance of the Spirit, and the special touch of the Spirit in counseling, strengthening, correcting, and helping.
Leadership is costly, time-consuming, energy-consuming work that makes its demands upon you day and night.
8. Love the church enough to spend yourself and be willing to suffer. You are called to give yourself for the church. Christ was willing to give Himself even to death for it. You may not be called upon to make that extreme a sacrifice, but Paul was willing to suffer whatever it took, even unto death.
Listen to his testimony: "Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church" (Col. 1:24). I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well" (2 Co. 12:15).
"We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our own lives as well, because you had become so dear to us" (1 Thess. 2:8).
There is still a price to be paid for the church. This commitment of time, love, effort, and life-blood will make you, like Paul, a servant of the church . . .
The leader's respect, honor, and dignity are maintained only by the presence and power of God upon his life and ministry. Humble servanthood can actually exalt you in the estimation of your people.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Used by permission of the author and Duewel Literature Trust, Inc., Greenwood, Indiana. Creative reading style by Jean.
#38 Have a Parental Love for the Church
by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
(pp. 132-135) ZondervanPublishingHouse
Father, Paul used the expressions of childbirth, to describe how it goes when a new church is planted.
Crises will come which the God-given leader will go through much like the labor and pains of natural childbirth.
There may be times we're tempted to give up on our church or group or on some of the people there, and we need to ask the Holy Spirit for deeper love and faith.
There is still a price to be paid for the church. This commitment of time, love, effort, and a life-blood will make us, like Paul, a servant of the church.
As a leader, respect, honor, and dignity are maintained only by the presence and power of God upon our lives and ministry.
Our great need then, is to humble ourselves, seek more love and faith in order to be servants of our churches, so that we can be effective in whatever we're asked to do.
We ask for this in Jesus' name, and for His glory. Amen.
Crises will come which the God-given leader will go through much like the labor and pains of natural childbirth.
There may be times we're tempted to give up on our church or group or on some of the people there, and we need to ask the Holy Spirit for deeper love and faith.
There is still a price to be paid for the church. This commitment of time, love, effort, and a life-blood will make us, like Paul, a servant of the church.
As a leader, respect, honor, and dignity are maintained only by the presence and power of God upon our lives and ministry.
Our great need then, is to humble ourselves, seek more love and faith in order to be servants of our churches, so that we can be effective in whatever we're asked to do.
We ask for this in Jesus' name, and for His glory. Amen.
Today's Bible verses-
Romans 1:16 (KJV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to
every one that believeth; to the Jew first and also to the
Greek."
Romans 8:18 (KJV) "For I reckon that the sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be compared with the
glory which shall be revealed in us."
James 4:10 (KJV) "Humble yourselves in the sight of the
Lord, and he shall lift you up."
Romans 1:16 (KJV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to
every one that believeth; to the Jew first and also to the
Greek."
Romans 8:18 (KJV) "For I reckon that the sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be compared with the
glory which shall be revealed in us."
James 4:10 (KJV) "Humble yourselves in the sight of the
Lord, and he shall lift you up."
Robert Henderson- "The purpose of cases against us in the Courts of Heaven is to steal away dreams, kill ambition and destroy destinies. We cannot imagine how cruel and malicious the accuser really is. We must know how to answer every accusation to silence his desires and secure our destinies." (p. 125 in COURTS OF HEAVEN).Today's popular post- When God Is Silent
Dr. Charles Stanley shares with us from his
December, 2013 magazine issue, In Touch:
"As Lazarus was dying, his sisters urgently
called for Jesus to come. Imagine how their grief must have compounded when He didn't instantly respond to their request."
Upcoming posts-
Society and the Family
24th Saturday's post by Lee Forbes
#39 The Shepherd Heart
27th- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
#40 Jesus, the Model Shepherd
29th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
A Reason for Everything
31st- Saturday's post by Fran Pasch
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through the 2nd devotion)
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