Dear Brethren,
Greetings to you in the Name of our Lord and savior Jesus, the Christ. I am compelled to write to us all and call our attention back to the task of Kingdom Building. Our Lord Jesus graciously said in Mathew 12:25 that “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and any city or house divided against itself shall not stand” It is disheartening to see all the bickering and segregating going on among us. We all must open our eyes and see that our Brethren are not our enemies. We all are working together for one purpose, and are members of the same body. Let us learn to celebrate one another and encourage one another. We must also cultivate the attitude of admonishing one another in love. The increase that we all desire can never materialize without first obeying the principle of planting and watering. I Corinthians 3:6 says “Paul planted, Apollos Watered and God Gave The Increase” It is perplexing that we all desire increase, yet we have refused to water “THE PLANTING” . We then wonder why there is no growth.
It is an irony that we, who have received the Ministry of reconciliation are busy delivering that of segregation, and hate. We have become adept at finding faults with God given inspiration and assignments. These things ought not to be so.
I implore us to think deeply and ask ourselves some honest questions:
1, Why do I minister and who stands to benefit from my Ministry.
2. Why am I sometimes resentful, critical and judgmental?
One necessary ingredient for increase is UNITY. We must labor in unity in order to experience the massive move of God that we all so desperately desire. When we are kingdom focused we will work in unity and most divisive issues will not materialize. We need to think exponentially and learn to encourage and support others rather than judge or criticize, or be so suspicious of them, their motives or actions.
Selfishness and pride more often than not is found to be the culprit behind bitterness and segregation. We must exercise caution before we blatantly judge the motives of others. They might very well be planting and what we are required to do is water not uproot.
When God gives a vision, it does not belong to the visionary only. That is why the Lord declares in Habakkuk 2:2 ”Write the vision and make it plain that he that readeth it may run” To run with it is to support it and do greater things with it. It is to take that vision and own it as though it were given to us personally from the onset. It is to move with understanding and passion with the vision and play a part in spreading it. We all have one vision, to build the Lord’s kingdom and to see Him Glorified. What then does it matter who the visionary is? Why do we bother about one faction or the other?
We all must be encouraged to know that we can be free to share our, gifts and talents without the fear of ridicule, criticism or judgment from the very ones who profess to be our brothers and sisters. If the goal of the minister is to exhort and encourage, then we fellow ministers must rally round and encourage such one, or better yet, watch and pray. God forgive us for standing in the way of His movement in the lives of others.
What kingdom are we building? Individual ones erected on the foundations of self glorification and the pillars of pride? Or one kingdom, based upon the death burial and resurrection of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ?
Shalom.
Sukky.
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Stephanie