DON'T JUMP SHIP (1 Corinthians 4:1)
Excerpts from Sparkling Gems From the Greek, by Rick Renner, p.636
"When you said yes to the will of God, you surrendered to Him, agreeing to pick up the 'oar' He has placed before you."
"If God has called you, don't jump ship! He needs you in the bottom of the boat in order to keep the Body of Christ moving forward toward maturity. You are very important!"
"You see, it's easy to start obeying God. Initiating a project is fun and exciting, and it's always the easiest part. The difficult part is sticking with that project and seeing it through all the way to the end. The real test comes when the excitement is gone and the reality of hard work and commitment begins to dawn on you. That's always the golden moment when the flesh is tempted to forget you ever heard from God and to start looking for a way out!"
"But the bottom line is this: Ultimately, it doesn't matter whether or not those around us ever show us appreciation for what we do. If the boat is going to move, we must row the boat!"
"Just like these 'under-rowers' [on slave ships], if you stop rowing - if you stop doing your job - it could possibly jeopardize the destiny God has called you to fulfill. If the boat is going to move, you must row, whether or not you ever hear the words 'thank you' from anyone."
All Christians have been endowed with gifts, talents, ministries and a calling for their "Boat" - their local church. The key is thinking and caring about The Boat - Don't Jump Ship!
"This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed." - 1 Corinthians 4:1
"When you said yes to the will of God, you surrendered to Him, agreeing to pick up the 'oar' He has placed before you."
"If God has called you, don't jump ship! He needs you in the bottom of the boat in order to keep the Body of Christ moving forward toward maturity. You are very important!"
"You see, it's easy to start obeying God. Initiating a project is fun and exciting, and it's always the easiest part. The difficult part is sticking with that project and seeing it through all the way to the end. The real test comes when the excitement is gone and the reality of hard work and commitment begins to dawn on you. That's always the golden moment when the flesh is tempted to forget you ever heard from God and to start looking for a way out!"
"But the bottom line is this: Ultimately, it doesn't matter whether or not those around us ever show us appreciation for what we do. If the boat is going to move, we must row the boat!"
"Just like these 'under-rowers' [on slave ships], if you stop rowing - if you stop doing your job - it could possibly jeopardize the destiny God has called you to fulfill. If the boat is going to move, you must row, whether or not you ever hear the words 'thank you' from anyone."
All Christians have been endowed with gifts, talents, ministries and a calling for their "Boat" - their local church. The key is thinking and caring about The Boat - Don't Jump Ship!
"This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed." - 1 Corinthians 4:1
Comments
Post a Comment