Scripture: “For when one says, “I follow Paul”, and another. “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?
What then is Apollos? What is Paul? (they are) Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So, neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God (who) gives the growth…
According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it, for no one can lay a foundation other that that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones…(or) wood, hay, or straw—each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it because it will be revealed by fire and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done…” excerpts from 1 Cor 3:4-13
Observation: How effective is my “ministry”, my witness, my leadership within the home, my function within the local Church? The Word of God lays it out bluntly…
Analysis: I think God does this stuff on purpose.
Of course, He does!! What a silly statement. What I am thinking about is just about the time I am getting comfortable in Him, Jesus tosses a curve ball and says “Try to hit this…” The analogy may get lost in the translation; I am referencing growth in Him, or in a single word, maturity.
Every person is a theologian. Some are good, some are bad. Some are growing, some are stagnant.
It is from this that all base their work.
I wonder often how strong is my work? How lasting? What legacy am I leaving in Christ? Will it be said, like it was said of David (Acts 13:36) that I “served the purpose of God in (my) generation?” Am I building my work on a firm foundation and will it stand, or will it burn down even though I am being saved?
This isn’t just pastor stuff; I get released from the implications because I am not a pastor. This is the call of God to EVERY believer.
I might like to hear and read John Piper. Ok, I would recommend Piper to anybody. I would also recommend about a dozen other guys (some of them dead). I would not recommend other guys by virtue of not being on my “recommended” list—it would be wrong of me to blacklist because of my opinion alone.
But I don’t “follow” Piper. He plants or waters. Other guys do as well. The harvest, the growth is God’s alone.
My assignment, if I want to call it that, is to seek God daily so that I am EFFECTIVELY equipped for the work of ministry. Not just willing alone. Not just able alone. But to be effective.
Starts with the mirror, then the spouse, then the family, then the small group (join one! It is the Grace given practice field) then the community.
Wives: Want a godly husband? Along with prayer, humbly ask for clarification about the Scriptures; any scripture, any doctrine. Put him on the spot (even if you already know the answer).
Husbands: You are warned to grow.
Prayer: Father, how wonderful you are. I do not want my ministry to my wife to stagnate but to increase. How do I contribute to your work? By your Word. Remembering and putting into practice Heb 3, 1 Thes 5, Ro 12, 1 Cor 14, Eph 5, 2 Cor 7, 1 Tim 3, and others. It is at the foot of the Cross I find life, O God. It is embracing your Word I find life, O God. AMEN