Don't Give Up
Pastor John Fredericksen
Being
in the pastorate can be discouraging. After all, you are an obvious
target for criticism. The messages are always too long or too short, you
use too many illustrations or not enough, the content is too deep or
too shallow, you stand too strongly on biblical truth or not strongly
enough, and so it goes. On one occasion, I had a Christian leader
harshly dress me down in public for 45 minutes and accused me of a
variety of things I simply had not done. He only thought I had done
them. I left that meeting so discouraged; I just wanted to give up the
ministry, and maybe even give up walking with the Lord. Thankfully, He
sent me encouragement when I needed it most.
Being
discouraged spiritually isn’t exclusive to pastors either. All
believers encounter this at one time or another. You can almost feel the
sorrow of heart when you read the testimonies of God’s men of the past.
David wrote: “I had fainted…” (Psa. 27:13), Jeremiah said: “When I
would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me” (Jer.
8:18), and Jonah said: “…my soul fainted within me” (Jonah 2:7). They
were so discouraged and spiritually weakened that they simply felt like
giving up. Thankfully, these servants of God did not give up, and there
is much to learn from what carried them through.
ates
to us how he found the strength to carry on: “I remembered the LORD:
and my prayer came in unto Thee, into Thine holy temple” (Jonah 2:7).
Coupled with obedience to God’s will, his discouragement turned when he
stayed his mind on the Lord in prayer. Similarly, Isaiah proclaims: “But
they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength…they shall run,
and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
As you can see, Isaiah also found it helpful to focus his thoughts on
the Lord through prayer.
The
Apostle Paul had opposition from without and from within the company of
believers, and had much to be discouraged about, but he didn’t quit.
His testimony was: “seeing we have this ministry…we faint not” (II Cor.
4:1). He kept his heart focused on serving the Savior, with Galatians
6:9 in mind: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season
we shall reap, if we faint not.” Simply put, heaven and reward from the
Savior strengthened the resolve of this servant. It can for us too.
re you discouraged spiritually? Don’t quit! Pray, focus on the importance of serving Christ, and rejoice in future reward!
Les Feldick Ministries
30706 W. Lona Valley Rd.
Kinta, OK 74552
Posted By Cecil and Connie Spivey
E-mail
this BIBLE STUDY to all your friends
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Payday Someday
by Pastor John Fredericksen
While
our children were growing up, by God's gracious provision, our family
had a small janitorial business to supplement our financial needs. We
always took the children even if all they were able to do was gather the
wastebaskets. One day, the girls were less than enthusiastic about
their participation. So, without really thinking it through, I told
them: "If you work hard with a good attitude, when you graduate high
school, mom and I will buy you a car." I only promised that once but,
they never forgot it, nor would they let me forget, nor allow me not to
follow through on my promise.
Our
Heavenly Father has a fantastic promise for every blood-bought
believer. Referring to the time when we graduate from this life into
eternity, 1 Corinthians 3:8 says: "...every man shall receive his own
reward according to his own labour." With absolute certainty, we are
assured the Lord will handsomely reward us for service done for the Lord
Jesus Christ after salvation. Reconfirming this confidence, the Apostle
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:58: "Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
forasmuch as ye know your labour is not in vain in the Lord."
As
we meditate on this encouraging promise, we should also comprehend one
key related truth. Any reward will be proportionate to our effort in
service. As stated above, everyone will be given reward "...according to
his own labour" (1 Cor. 3:8). If we choose to do little or nothing for
the Lord after salvation, this will be reflected in little reward
received. Second Corinthians 9:6 states it this way: "...he which soweth
sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully
shall reap also bountifully." As a high school yearbook reflects one's
participation in school, or lack thereof, our records in eternity will
correspond with our service and reward. That makes it important for us
to busy ourselves now with activities that will matter once we reach
eternity. We can serve Christ by inviting or transporting folks to
church, presenting the gospel, handing out gospel tracts, serving in the
church nursery, teaching the Scriptures, assisting in youth ministries,
giving faithfully, doing follow-up on visitors, befriending newcomers
to church, and much more. The limit on serving Christ is only our
imagination and our willingness.
Don't
be among the foolish who serve only self in this life. Choose to do
something today to further the cause of Christ. Remember, there will be a
payday someday.
Les Feldick Ministries
30706 W. Lona Valley Rd.
Kinta, OK 74552
Posted By Cecil and Connie Spivey
E-mail this BIBLE UDY to all your friends
Payday Someday
by Pastor John Fredericksen
While
our children were growing up, by God's gracious provision, our family
had a small janitorial business to supplement our financial needs. We
always took the children even if all they were able to do was gather the
wastebaskets. One day, the girls were less than enthusiastic about
their participation. So, without really thinking it through, I told
them: "If you work hard with a good attitude, when you graduate high
school, mom and I will buy you a car." I only promised that once but,
they never forgot it, nor would they let me forget, nor allow me not to
follow through on my promise.
Our
Heavenly Father has a fantastic promise for every blood-bought
believer. Referring to the time when we graduate from this life into
eternity, 1 Corinthians 3:8 says: "...every man shall receive his own
reward according to his own labour." With absolute certainty, we are
assured the Lord will handsomely reward us for service done for the Lord
Jesus Christ after salvation. Reconfirming this confidence, the Apostle
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:58: "Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
forasmuch as ye know your labour is not in vain in the Lord."
As
we meditate on this encouraging promise, we should also comprehend one
key related truth. Any reward will be proportionate to our effort in
service. As stated above, everyone will be given reward "...according to
his own labour" (1 Cor. 3:8). If we choose to do little or nothing for
the Lord after salvation, this will be reflected in little reward
received. Second Corinthians 9:6 states it this way: "...he which soweth
sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully
shall reap also bountifully." As a high school yearbook reflects one's
participation in school, or lack thereof, our records in eternity will
correspond with our service and reward. That makes it important for us
to busy ourselves now with activities that will matter once we reach
eternity. We can serve Christ by inviting or transporting folks to
church, presenting the gospel, handing out gospel tracts, serving in the
church nursery, teaching the Scriptures, assisting in youth ministries,
giving faithfully, doing follow-up on visitors, befriending newcomers
to church, and much more. The limit on serving Christ is only our
imagination and our willingness.
Don't
be among the foolish who serve only self in this life. Choose to do
something today to further the cause of Christ. Remember, there will be a
payday someday.
Les Feldick Ministries
30706 W. Lona Valley Rd.
Kinta, OK 74552
Posted By Cecil and Connie Spivey
E-mail this BIBLE UDY to all your friends
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