CARE FOR THE BRETHREN-30/04/2014
CARE FOR THE BRETHREN-30/04/2014
Yesterday's message was titled "MYSTERY OF DIVINE CODE”. Today's message is titled "CARE FOR THE BRETHREN"
as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional
(Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Philippians 4:19 : "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus " Today's reading was taken from Romans 15:25-27 and the Bible reading in one year is Revelation 8 to Revelation 11 and Psalm 93 (Adeboye, 2014).
Quoted below is today's message for your input
"Apostle Paul in the Bible reading for today, teaches us one missing
ingredient of true discipleship in today’s contemporary Church; which is
the ministry of care. Despite the great anointing with which Apostle
Paul was ministering to both Jews and Gentiles, it is amazing to read
that the ministry of care was not absent from his vocation as a preacher
of the gospel. It is also interesting to note that the lives of the
early apostles of Jesus Christ were not only in alignment with the
teachings of Jesus Christ but were also in alignment with their own
teachings. Jesus Christ taught that his followers should be hospitable,
kind hearted and generous. He said to us in Matthew 10:42 that:
“And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a
cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you,
he shall in no wise lose his reward.”
He exemplified this when He insisted on feeding the crowd that had
been with Him for so long, contrary to the suggestions of His disciples
that they be dismissed with empty stomachs. He made sure the crowd was
fed before they were dispersed (Matthew 14:15-19).
In Matthew 25:35-40 the Lord further enunciated this principle saying:
“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye
gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye
clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came
unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we
thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw
we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or
when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King
shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye
have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it
unto me.”
In light of these witnesses, children of God must therefore engage in
the ministry of care along with any other ministries that they may have
been called into. This makes our calling a complete and perfect one.
The needy amongst us should be given consideration as our primary target
of ministration on practical giving."
The action point is to Set up a care-giving department in your local
assembly for the purpose of meeting the needs of those who lack one
thing or the other.
The caring, sharing and giving which was most prominent among the disciples of old is gradually on a trajectory of extinction in our time. I pray that the Almighty God will restore the old time selfless love and unity in our churches, amen.
God bless you richly for your contribution
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