Capital City Church International Capital City Church International

In the life of a minister,

2. Many doors open and not all are from God.

A second danger of living off borrowed truth, is that we appear wiser and further than we actually are. This is nice at first, but comes with a price tag on credit. It is nice because the success of second hand revelation seemed as good, but was pricey because it didn't last as long. It is nice because it was easier to get a hold of, but was pricey because it was also much harder to hold on to. It was nice because it was packaged and deliverable, but pricey because it became confined to very specific examples and situations.

It was nice because it brought respect and an edge, but pricey because the upkeep of one's anointing outstripped the given grace. It was nice because it was test-driven and came with less risk, but expensive because the lack of faith shows over time. It was nice because many doors opened, but expensive because every door that was entered, required more investment.

Only want what comes from God's hand. If that could be an order without me overstepping boundaries, I'd issue it. Without hearing God's voice, I have signed up for one too many ideas that burned my bum, budget or buddies. Without first-hand revelation, I have been too easily excited by new opportunities. I have hoped for influence beyond God's plan for me, and was left unsustained outside God's boundaries of my anointing. God will provide for his projects, but our problems come where we call our personal agendas God's mission. He has set boundaries to my impact, geography and friendships, and I choose to dwell within those bounds now.

In the life of a minister,

3. Relevance and recognition tempts

How else? John 5v44 becomes us. Once 2hR grips us, our horizontal inputs magnify our horizontal admiration of others, and seamlessly grows into a desire for 'glory from one another' for ourselves. The person who lives to hear Him say "well done" has less appetite for the little "well dones"

Oh for competent ministers of the gospel, living in God's fullness, within the given spheres of effective ministry and free from the desire of men's praise! May I grow to be part of that number.

I hope this is more than identifying problems. I guess what I am trying to say, is that once God has us, we seem to get the rest of our deepest desires and pleasures fulfilled legitimately. It's not about getting a thousand little things right, but about the personable God, and then everything else clicks into place.

In the next blog, i'd love to think about the dangers of 2hR in ministry.

And lastly, we will consider the implications of 2hR on our evangelistic effectiveness.