Ledgends in Their Own Mind
Monday, February 23rd, 2009
Another minister informed me – comparing his
ministry to the ministry of another – that his ministry
was a Cadillac and the other was a Yugo. I thought to
myself, then I must be the hubcap on the Yugo. One
preacher informed a friend of mine that he was one of the
top five speakers in the world today. I thought to myself,
I must be one of the bottom five.
It is not what you have done or achieved in man’s
eyes that counts; it is faithfulness to the call of God.
When I stand before my heavenly Father I desire to hear
Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.
Enter into the joy of the Lord.” I don’t want to hear, “Well
done, thou good and successful servant You have already
received your reward, it’s the praise of men.”
The Danger of Forgetting Where You’ve Come From
Is it not amazing that God visits an ordinary
individual and anoints him? The man rises out of the dust
to achieve greatness in God. Later when asked what was
the key to his success, he gives a ten-point guideline to
would-be followers about the secret to success.
But it had nothing to do with the ten points. It was
the touch of God in the individual’s life which resulted in
the call. He remained faithful to fulfill the call and
succeeded. It is as simple as that.
It Doesn’t Come Overnight
Success does not come overnight; it is formed in
the fires of life. In that crucible theories become proven
and foundations are laid. Usually those who rise
overnight, fall before daybreak.
Some look at the success that we’ve had in the
evangelistic field in recent times in South Africa and the
United States (and in comparison to others we have not
even begun yet), and they will say to me, “Your ministry
shot up overnight.” All I can tell them is that it’s been the
longest night of my life.
The Importance of Worship
Jesus said, “The hour cometh, and now is, when
the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and
in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him”
(John 4:23). Worship is so important, not just
corporately; but also privately. As we begin to worship
Him, the presence of the Lord will come upon us.
The scripture says in Psalm 91:1, “He that
dwelleth in the secret place of the most High will abide
under the shadow of the Almighty.” Worship is that
secret place. We need to develop a lifestyle of prayer. We
need to develop a lifestyle of worship.
Integrity in Life and Ministry
It is very important to be oneself. We are living in
a day and age when there is so much pressure to follow
the crowd and be an echo instead of being a voice. I
believe God wants to raise up voices in these last days.
He wants those who will speak as an oracle of God.
There is a lack of integrity in the ministry today. I
believe if we would be used of God on a continual basis,
we need to develop character in the area of integrity.
We live in a day when men have very little
integrity, not only in the world but also in the Church.
The scripture says, “Who shall ascend into the hill of the
Lord? Or shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean
hands, and a pure heart” (Psalm 24:3, 4). It is sad to think
that in the Church today there is a lack of integrity.
People say what they want and then forget completely
what they said. Some even deny that they said or
promised anything.
The motto I have adopted in the ministry is,
“Expect nothing from anyone, but commit yourself to be
a giver.” The Bible says God will honor a man who
swears to his own hurt (Psalm 15:4). Many times when I
am promised things from men of God, I don’t get excited
until I see it happen. It is sad that you cannot trust
someone’s word. The lack of integrity has plagued the
ministry for many years, from the Elmer Gantry of
Hollywood to real life, modem day televangelism.
Man Looks on the Outside, God Looks on the Heart
And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt
thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from
reigning over Israel? Fill thine horn with oil, and go, I
will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have
provided me a king among his sons.
And Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hear it, he
will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with
thee, and say I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.
And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee
what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him
whom I name unto thee.
And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came
to Bethlehem, And the elders of the town trembled at
his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto
the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the
sacrifice.
And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them
to the sacrifice.
And it came to pass, when they were come, that he
looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord’s anointed
is before him.
But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his
countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I
have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth;
for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the
Lord looketh on the heart.
Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before
Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen
this.
Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said,
Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before
Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath
not chosen these.
And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children?
And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and,
behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto
Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till
he come hither.
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy
and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to
look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this
is he.
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in
the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord
came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel
rose up, and went to Ramah.
1 Samuel 16:1-13
