A WORD IN SEASON TO THE WEARY

🌷🌷🌷 September 7🌷🌷🌷

“… feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).

In order to protect the believers, the apostle Paul gave solemn warnings to the elders. He told them, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:28-30). He told them that the Devil would be busy: God’s people would be attacked by false teachers whom the apostle likens unto “wolves”, and they would be deceived by perverse men: that is why the Holy Ghost had made them overseers. The apostle Paul remained in Ephesus and taught the people himself three years, and that with great earnestness and tears, to make sure that these elders were God’s chosen workers.

We who are living in the last days, know from God’s Word that this is the time the enemy will be more active than ever before. Believers will be attacked with all kinds of weapons devised by the enemy, such as wrong doctrine, false teaching and deceitful workers, persecution, suffering, poverty and internal strife. So if we do not protect God’s people by giving them proper teaching, we are actually failing God in a great responsibility which He has given to us.

Paul was not only an apostle, but also a prophet, evangelist and pastor. In spite of this, he needed the help of many other servants of God. But there are some preachers nowadays who seem to think that they possess all the necessary gifts and can also look after their flock single-handed. As a result they fail to protect the people of God. It is better for them to realize their limitations and pray that God may send to them many other gifted servants of God through whose ministry the believers can be strengthened and protected.

If you do not understand God’s plan for building up His people then take care you do not hinder God’s work. If God has not called you for the ministry then it is better for you to stand aside and not interfere in the work of God. God will not accept any work which is against His heavenly plan.