Tag Archives: Faithfulness

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Pastoral Challenge For The New Year!

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Pastor, as you well know, this year could be the last year that you or I may be able to minister for Jesus Christ. Satan has leveled his gun and drawn a bead on our ministries and testimonies. Not one of us is exempt from spiritual warfare and there are many dangers which await us in the next 52 weeks. Are you preparing for this battle? I hope so!

Challenge…

On behalf of those of us here at The Working Pastor, I want to challenge you to be FAITHFUL to our Lord! Success, contrary to popular opinion, is not measured by numbers, pats on the back, how many book sales you have or how big your ministries are! Success is found by being FAITHFUL to our Lord in everything we endeavor to do.

The measure of our FAITHFULNESS can be seen in our motives and methods. If our motive or methods are not found to be righteous and according to God’s Word, then we will suffer loss. FAITHFULNESS, though not mentioned by name in the following verses, is definitely a key factor in the determination of reward or loss at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Consider the follow verses…

(2 Corinthians 5:9-10) “Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”  (KJV) Emphasis mine – Literally “Approved or disapproved”

(1 Corinthians 3:10-15) “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”  (KJV)

FAITHFULNESS, in my humble opinion, is the primary issue at the Judgment Seat. FAITHFULNESS or loyalty to Christ will enable us to bring forth fruit that will remain, and will keep us on the path that will help us build with the proper materials which will endure the test of fire. Make no mistake about this, our FAITHFULNESS to God will be revealed! My pastor put it this way… “You may not be much but you can be FAITHFUL!”

“You may not be much, but you CAN be faithful!” Dr. Bobby Roberson – Pastor of Gospel Light Baptist Church of Walkertown, North Carolina

Are You Up To The Challenge?

The Scriptures are full of examples of those who were FAITHFUL in the midst of dire circumstances. Joseph, Daniel, and Moses are just a few. No matter what you are facing today, or will face tomorrow, you CAN be FAITHFUL to Christ! Are you up to the challenge?

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We Need Stickability

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This outline reminds us that we need to be faithful in our place of service in God’s perfect will. We should be careful to not get sidetracked from God’s purpose for our lives. We should be involved in God’s BEST for our lives!

Title: “We Need Stickability!”

Text: II Timothy 2:3-4

(2 Timothy 2:3-4) “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”  (KJV)

Introduction:

•    In World War II, on the night preceding D-Day, the Allied forces flew in paratroopers well behind the front lines in hopes to divert attention from their main objective: NORMANDY.
•    For quite some time, the Allies were building up forces in Great Britain. The Germans never suspected that the Allies would cross the channel anywhere but at the narrowest point. Instead they crossed at the widest, which was NORMANDY.
•    I mention these facts about the war of the greatest generation because what the Allies successfully accomplished is what Satan tries to do to each Child of God!
•    If he can divert our attention from the main objective, which is the Will of God, then he has mimicked the allied forces of WWII and has sidetracked our usefulness.
•    God needs for his children to have stickability.
•    This is what Paul tells Timothy in our text.

Proposition: There are three things I want us to see tonight about the need for stickability!

I.    Notice The Picture Our Text Paints!

A.    Our text paints the picture of a foot soldier’s life.

B.    Paul was trying to convey that we are soldiers of the cross and we should be able to endure hardness!

C.    He points to the fact that we should not get distracted by things in this life that would hinder us from pleasing God!

D.    Distractions like:

i.    Material things
ii.    Problems at work and at home
iii.    Political situations – President Obama

E.    Paul does not say that these things will not be hard for us, but admonishes us to endure them!

II.    Notice The Example Of Our Lord!

A.    There is no greater example of enduring hard times than the one found in our Lord Jesus Christ!

B.    None of us can imagine what it was for Christ to suffer for us!

C.    Consider what was said of Him in Hebrews

(Hebrews 12:2) “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  (KJV)

III.    Notice The Lives Of Many Bible Characters!

A.    David reflects upon the hard times he faced when he penned Psalm 60.

(Psalms 60:3) “Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.”  (KJV)

B.    Muse upon Hebrews chapter eleven.

C.    We should realize that these people endured a great fight, and we can to!

D.    I like what Pastor Billy Ball said when went full time in the ministry. He was struggling and he felt like God told him to say “By faith… Billy Ball” when he read chapter eleven of Hebrews!

E.    There is one common denominator about these heroes of the faith: they all had stickability!

Conclusion:

•    Sinner be saved!

•    Christian strive for stickability! Endure hardness!

 

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