This building up is done in two ways—by nourishing the spiritual life of believers and by adding new believers to the body of Christ. The Hebrews writer adds, "May the God of peace . . . equip you with everything good for doing his will" (Heb. 13:20-21). (Google image, Foolishness of modern preaching)
How can you prepare your people for the work of service God wants each to do? How can God use you to equip them? This does not refer to spiritual gifts. Only the Holy Spirit bestows spiritual gifts. We cannot impart them or teach people to receive them. We can teach how they are to be used.
PREPARE YOUR PEOPLE TO BLESS OTHERS
"God bless you" should be one of the most common expressions on a Christian's tongue. God is a God of blessing. The high priest was to bless the people, saying, "The LORD bless you" (Num. 6:24).
God wants to bless all the work of our hands, if we obey Him (Deut. 14:29; 24:19). "He will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the LORD your God" (Deu. 15:4-5). You will find similar promises in many places. Jesus was sent to bless us (Acts 3:36). Jesus went about doing good and blessing both the righteous and the sinners (Acts 10:38).
We are to bless all people, even those who persecute us (Rom. 12:14). When we are cursed, we bless (1 Cor. 4:12). God blesses actions as well as people (Ps. 33:12), the poor as well as the rich, children as well as adults (Mark 10:16). Here are steps you can teach your people to take in blessing others:
1. Seize every opportunity to bless a person. Watch for opportunities. Pray for God to guide you. Each morning ask God to make you a definite blessing to someone that day.
2. Show love in the name of Jesus. Watch for opportunities to smile at people, help people, encourage people. Seek to bring the joy of the Lord wherever you go. Ask God to pour the love of Christ through you into the lives of others—saved and unsaved whether children, young people, or adults.
3. Pray constantly for others. Prayer is a chief way to bless. As you pass houses, ask God to bless the people within. As you pass children, ask God to bless them. When you see angry people, ask God to deliver them. Go through your day breathing brief prayers for those you meet or those God brings to your attention. Through prayer you can bless more people than in any other way.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Used by permission of the author and Duewel Literature Trust, Inc., Greenwood, Indiana. Creative reading style by Jean.
Ablaze for God
#60 Prepare Your People to Pray
by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
(pp. 181-182) ZondervanPublishingHouse
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| Woman Praying Hands |
Father, please help us to remember that our pastor and teachers in our church, are given by God to help prepare us for works of service, so that our body of Christ may be built up.
May they faithfully nourish the spiritual life of the believers, and to preach and teach how to be effective in the adding of new ones.
We cannot equip the new folks with spiritual gifts, but we can teach them how they are to be used; for only the Holy Spirit can impart them.
Help us take steps to find ways to bless others by taking every opportunity to do so with our words, prayers and actions.
May we become effective witnesses of the love of Christ Jesus, so as to draw them to Him. I ask this in His name, amen.
May they faithfully nourish the spiritual life of the believers, and to preach and teach how to be effective in the adding of new ones.
We cannot equip the new folks with spiritual gifts, but we can teach them how they are to be used; for only the Holy Spirit can impart them.
Help us take steps to find ways to bless others by taking every opportunity to do so with our words, prayers and actions.
May we become effective witnesses of the love of Christ Jesus, so as to draw them to Him. I ask this in His name, amen.
Today's Bible verses-
Rev. 4:11 "Thou are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory
and honor and power: for Thou has created all things,
and for Thy pleasure they are and were created."
1 Cor. 6:19, 20 (KJV) "What? know ye not that your
body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,
which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
(20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify
God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
Eph. 6:18 "Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto
with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."
Rev. 4:11 "Thou are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory
and honor and power: for Thou has created all things,
and for Thy pleasure they are and were created."
1 Cor. 6:19, 20 (KJV) "What? know ye not that your
body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,
which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
(20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify
God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
Eph. 6:18 "Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto
with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."
~ A. W. Tozer- "We can get a right start only by accepting God as He is and learning to love him for what He is. As we go on to know Him better we shall find it a source of unspeakable joy that God is just what He is. Some of the most rapturous moments we know will be those who spend in reverent admiration of the GodHead. In those holy moments the very thought of change in Him will be too painful to endure.
So let us begin with God. Back of all, above all, before all is God; first in sequential order, above in rank and station, exalted in dignity and honor. As the self-existent One He gave being to all things, and all things exist out of him and for Him." (See Rev. 4:11 above). [Taken from Herald of His Coming newspaper, Vol 77, No 4 (916), p. 1, Used by permission.]
Today's popular post-
#72 The Spirit Empowers you to Pray
The role of the Holy Spirit is to empower."
Upcoming posts-
Pushing Red Buttons
9th- Saturday's post by Sarah Rollandini
#61 Prepare Your People for Prayer Ministry
12th- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
#62 Guide in Establishing Regular Daily Prayer Time
14th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
Not Abandoned in Aisle 3
16th- Saturday's post by Arlene Pellicane
Jean's published book Paper back $7.95
(Be sure to "look inside" to see contents
through the 2nd devotion)
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