JUL 24

Colossians 1:23
Memorise Matthew 7:16
“…which ye have heard…”

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A MINISTER?

In the second part of Colossians 1:23, Paul continues: “…which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister.” The word “heard” is significant because the faith and hope spoken of in the first part of the verse comes by hearing God’s Word, believing in His promises even though we have not seen Him. Remember that if something can be seen, it is no longer faith. For example, we have faith that God has preserved His Word just as He said, even though we have not witnessed the entire process of preservation. The phrase “preached to every creature” does not mean that every creature will hear the gospel, but rather that it is God’s will that the gospel is to be preached far and wide to as many as possible (Mark 16:15). Paul goes on to point out that He is a true minister of the gospel called by God Himself, evidenced by the phrase “am made”, and thus has a responsibility to God and to the flock to preach God’s Word and to be a good example to them. In the faithful discharge of his duty as a minister, Paul is the one who brings the word of truth to every creature, and guides them to have hope, and be rooted and grounded in their faith.

Dear teen, accept who is truly a minister of God, and have a good regard for those who serve the Lord faithfully. If like Paul, they obey their calling and labour to feed God’s flock with the Word, the Bible tells us that they are worthy of double honour (1 Timothy 5:18). We must be able to discern between ministers who are only made ministers by God, and those who claim to want to serve the Lord, but are no more than charlatans who are serving for all the wrong reasons. We must not be seduced by false teachers who come in to spoil the flock. Yes they may carry themselves well, spend time with you and seem to care; they may preach attractive engaging messages and enthrall you with testimonies and supposedly true accounts of miracles and healings, but be not deceived. True ministers will preach the Word of God instead of worldly philosophies; this ministry will not just propagate evangelism but will result in believers being grounded and settled in the faith. Is this what you look for in a minister?

Thought: What kind of pastor/teacher do I like, and is this liking biblical?
Prayer: May I accept and honour those whom God has appointed as pastor/teacher according to His Word.