Warning signals Week 26, 2014

How did Paul and Barnabas handle the success of their missionary trip? Acts14:27. Much the same way as the 12 apostles (Lk9:10) and 72 evangelists (Lk10:17) handled their own: giving a thorough report to the master and sending ones. This led to the caution Jesus gave “…the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God's authority over you and presence with you” Lk 10:20(message). Judas may not have heeded that. Jesus himself regularly reported back to the father in prayers. Jn6:15; 17:1-26. Don’t glory in results; focus on making it to Jesus’ presence to receive a reward.

At times the suggestions of the well meaning and the grateful at the point of success are misleading. Then the men of Israel asked Gideon, "Rule over us—you, your son, and your grandsons—because you have delivered us from Midian's domination." But Gideon told them, "I won't rule over you and my son won't rule over you. The LORD will rule you." Jg 8:22-23(ISV).  However Gideon succumbed to an inordinate request after. He went as far as insisting God should rule them, but not far enough. Like him we address the first statement, "Rule over us—you, your son, and your grandsons” but do we handle the next: “you have delivered us”?

People recognized and kept saying “Truly this is the Prophet who was to come into the world!” of Jesus. But he withdrew from them when they wanted to make him king by force (Jn6:14-15). Withdraw from sycophants who want only earthly things. Feeding the ego of ministers is a well worn route by Satan to ambush them. Go through the profiles of the ministers within and abroad who crashed; the ministries were largely built around them. Subtle, legal, but dangerous and often times lethal.

Such talk as “Thank God for you; where would this church be without you?” should not be met with a smile but a rebuttal. It is a warning signal if we prefer to keep silent and smile. Well meant usually, but a seed to self importance. Simply to respond “I didn’t ask them to say it” is not sufficient. That's the way it is with you. When you have done everything you were ordered to do, say, 'We are worthless servants. We have done only what we ought to have done.' Lk 17:10(ISV).  Let them know you are aspiring to be at the level of these worthless servants. Ask yourself, “Did I really do everything God wanted me to do, in the way the Holy Spirit directed?” Where in all honesty you think so confess with Paul I am the least of the apostles and not even fit to be called an apostle because I persecuted God's church. But by God's grace I am what I am, and his grace shown to me was not wasted. Instead, I worked harder than all the others—not I, of course, but God's grace that was with me1Cor 15:9-10(ISV). No human is designed to handle such glory; the danger of it is in nudging men towards pride not only in arousing God’s jealousy.