Men:
I Timothy 3:5, "For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the house of God." You must live it out at home, that is where your ministry begins.
"Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." Revelation 2:5
The center of the church is the Lord Jesus Christ and He is the bridegroom for His glorious bride. The church is built upon death, submission and surrender to God's will. It is raised in power of Christ, the ability to suffer well, praise God in trial, tribulation, and testing, have a poor spirit, the least and inept are called and qualified, she mourns and is comforted for sin being forgiven, reconciliation possible and restoration real, she is meek allowing others to be preferred instead of her, she is lowly not proud, she is strong to cut away hypocrisy, she has the capacity to bless those who persecute them, love the very one's that hate them and trust God alone. God will perfect His bride for His son teaching us the elementary things practically-
-Children Honor Your Parents
-Women submit to Your own Husbands
-Men, love your wife as Christ loved the church and lay down your life for her
--Parents separate yourself from your grown children’s affairs and allow them to cleave to their spouse
-Let the mind of Christ dwell in you richly esteeming others more important than yourself doing nothing out of strife or vain glory
The center of the church is Jesus Christ and your personal devotion to Him. Then your family. It is not a building, you are the temple.
These puppeteers, stage performers and elevated proud, arrogant leaders masquerading around in carnal elegance are soon to be overcome. Most of these ministries built on the flesh and the appeal to the flesh majoring in doing the exact antithesis of the mind of Christ. They have built churches in strife and vain glory. The Laodician church has failed miserably, she is blind, naked, miserable and wicked blaspheming the Lord. They desire a crowd and not disciples, they desire a following not a flock; they are lost, in the dark and in severe distress. Many not even knowing it, some do and they harden their heart, stiffen their neck and rebel. Many are angry, defending their position, their deeds and their place but it is God's goodness that will lead you to repent for if you do not, His wrath will be upon your head with judgment and discipline you are not prepared to face. I pray you or I do not mock Him!
A true shepherd is not worried about his shelter nor the comforts of it, he is not worried about his budget but concerned about fearing God and doing the Father's will, he gives the sheep the best house all the while he protects the gate, guards it with his life, allows his goods, food and shelter to be useful for the hurting brethren and dispersed to the needy even unto death. He does not desire for any of his children to stumble and freely admits his faults, repenting before as the Great Shepherd leads him, Pleasure in this world means nothing, his own desire has been crushed and overcome by God's will, he cares about one thing: feeding, guiding and protecting his sheep are his joyful service. He will go through hell and back to rescue the one who has departed the fold. Jesus works through his life and teaches his wife to teach, lead and train women to have a gentle and quiet spirit, to be submissive to their own husbands, that beauty is vain and charm deceitful but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised, the children are loved, disciplined and led to honor God as they honor mom and dad. Children are taught by dad's example, if they do not work, they do not eat. Jesus teaches them to minister to one another, then they are qualified to minister to the flock.
Revelation 3:13-22
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." |