This past Saturday,I went to a Men's Prayer Breakfast and heard Bro. Vince Massa preach a message on the mantle of God from 1 Kings 19:
(1 Kings 19:19) "So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him."
Elijah cast his mantle on Elisha as a sign of transferring the mantle of prophetic ministry from Elijah to Elisha. God calls men to preach and gives them a ministry to fulfill. There are times that the mantle of ministry changes. A man might go to or from a pastoral ministry to that of an evangelist or vice-versa.
It was a particularly special message to me because the next day, Sunday, I became the Senior Pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church. I took up a new mantle of ministry which God had prepared for me, prepared the people and myself for.
I look forward to exercising the ministry associated with this new mantle. As you may be seeking God's will for ministry, know that God has that mantle of ministry prepared for you in His time.
Remember: "Where God guides, He provides."
Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts
Monday, March 7, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
A Stronghold in the Day of Trouble
"The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him." Nahum 1:7
The Lord is good. He, by his very character, is good. Goodness does not just characterize God, but he is good. God's goodness is not just a saying, but he is good!
God is a stronghold in the day of trouble. A stronghold is a refuge, a fortified place. When we are in trouble, we can run to our refuge, our fortified place - the Lord. He will protect us. The Lord is our castle. We can run to the tower of the castle and find help.
A stronghold is also a defense. He will defend us against the onslaught of Satan, the World and the flesh. When we get overwhelmed, overcome and weary, we can run to our Stronghold for defense.
The Lord knows those that trust in Him. When we run to Him as our Stronghold, we never have to worry about being refused entrance. The Lord always knows us, and the "guard" will always let us in. We never have to show a pass, or identification. We can always go right in. We have constant and immediate access!
Those who struggle with a sinful stronghold in their life need to forsake their sinful habits we call strongholds and run to the Lord as their stronghold. Trading their sinful stronghold for the Stronghold of the Lord will result in tremendous blessing!
The Lord is good. He, by his very character, is good. Goodness does not just characterize God, but he is good. God's goodness is not just a saying, but he is good!
God is a stronghold in the day of trouble. A stronghold is a refuge, a fortified place. When we are in trouble, we can run to our refuge, our fortified place - the Lord. He will protect us. The Lord is our castle. We can run to the tower of the castle and find help.
A stronghold is also a defense. He will defend us against the onslaught of Satan, the World and the flesh. When we get overwhelmed, overcome and weary, we can run to our Stronghold for defense.
The Lord knows those that trust in Him. When we run to Him as our Stronghold, we never have to worry about being refused entrance. The Lord always knows us, and the "guard" will always let us in. We never have to show a pass, or identification. We can always go right in. We have constant and immediate access!
Those who struggle with a sinful stronghold in their life need to forsake their sinful habits we call strongholds and run to the Lord as their stronghold. Trading their sinful stronghold for the Stronghold of the Lord will result in tremendous blessing!
Labels:
Bible,
character of God,
help in trouble,
stronghold
Monday, September 20, 2010
The Goodness of God
Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually. (Psalm 52:1)
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? (Romans 2:4)
I was recently reminded of a preacher I knew in North Carolina in my college days. When he shook hands, his greeting always included the statement "Ain't God good!". Now, the grammar might not be the best, but the theology is good! So many people fail to look at the goodness of God.
Some people are so proud that they think that all they have or do are simply a result of their own brute strength and ability. They think that their efforts have gotten them position, wealth, etc. Even many who name the name of Christ fall into this trap. They do not realize that everything they have comes from the Lord. It is understandable for a lost man to ignore the Lord and his goodness, but how can Christians become so proud and self-absorbed as to forget the goodness of the Lord?
The mighty man (the man of strength) will often boast of his abilities and his sheer strength. How can we think that we have some great strength that did not come from the Lord? It is the Lord who gives us strength to do anything!
A person can get so proud and busy that he does not recognize that God is good. He does not realize that all blessings come from the Lord. God's goodness is everlasting and long suffering. His goodness is there even when we do not recognize it. It will be there when everything else is gone. As John Bishop says: "God is good all the time!"
Let us never forget the goodness of God.
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? (Romans 2:4)
I was recently reminded of a preacher I knew in North Carolina in my college days. When he shook hands, his greeting always included the statement "Ain't God good!". Now, the grammar might not be the best, but the theology is good! So many people fail to look at the goodness of God.
Some people are so proud that they think that all they have or do are simply a result of their own brute strength and ability. They think that their efforts have gotten them position, wealth, etc. Even many who name the name of Christ fall into this trap. They do not realize that everything they have comes from the Lord. It is understandable for a lost man to ignore the Lord and his goodness, but how can Christians become so proud and self-absorbed as to forget the goodness of the Lord?
The mighty man (the man of strength) will often boast of his abilities and his sheer strength. How can we think that we have some great strength that did not come from the Lord? It is the Lord who gives us strength to do anything!
A person can get so proud and busy that he does not recognize that God is good. He does not realize that all blessings come from the Lord. God's goodness is everlasting and long suffering. His goodness is there even when we do not recognize it. It will be there when everything else is gone. As John Bishop says: "God is good all the time!"
Let us never forget the goodness of God.
Labels:
Bible,
character of God,
goodness of God
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