Ministry...Fulfilled!

Colossians 4:17
And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.

I know a lot of preachers that are dissatisfied in their current assignment. The attitude of these servants run the gambit from easy going to angry. Most of these men are looking for the perfect call to a perfect place or church. Their attitude can be one that lashes out at a fellow servant to whom the blessings are flowing, and the hand of God is on.

I know what I am speaking of because occasionally I find myself in the seat of the scornful, lashing out on good men of God. I act like a spoiled brat, spewing accusations and dispersions about the success and manifested blessings upon Godly ministries. I deserve to be taken to the nearest woodshed and soundly paddled until I get my own attitude fixed. (that is re-fixed upon God, and His call on MY life.)

There is a vital lesson to be learned with in the 20 words in this verse. I hope that the next time I get my hind end up over my eyes, God will skin my hide with this admonition. I also pray that God would line up the disgruntled men of God and reshape their thinking.

I must ask forgiveness to those men and ministries that I have spit at! I ask the Lord to insulate the Innocent servants of God from such silliness.

And say to Archippus,

God speaks through the Apostle to His man. I am thankful for the true friends that God places in and around me. A true friend will say things that may skin us up, yet it is exactly what we need to hear. I do not relish the times when God has me say a rebuke to one of His servants, It is a hard thing to put a good relationship on the line for the sake of helping a Brother or Sister in Christ.

It is a hard thing to have a Brother or Sister in Christ take me to the mat, with a message from God. No! I do not like to be found out, especially by a friend in Jesus. I hate to admit I am wrong, or my "ministry" is in trouble because I managed it incorrectly. BUT! after things right themselves, I am so thankful. Both when I am corrected, and when I am the instrument of correction.

Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord.

Most of my own problems occur in this area happens, when I get my attention off the ministry I have received in the Lord, and look in to other men's ministries. Because I lack in areas, I judge them by my own skewed view. I discount blessings and victories as mere fleshly shows, because I myself don't take heed to my own assignment.

When I look at others, I judge them by the mere image I see reflected back of what I am not. I am jealous because someone else is blessed, while I am on the way to the woodshed of correction. I justify my failing with words of hate and discord.

The best practice method I need to employ is this admonition. I should print out these twelve words, blow them up to about a foot high and hang them above every door, so I can be reminded before I strike out in another man's ministry. "Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord."

That thou fulfil it.

If I was to be honest, I would tell you that I fall short in this area. I need to put my hand to the plow of my own God given ministry assignment and fulfill it. I honestly have an assignment that requires every ounce of my being to do right. I have too much to do to take precious time examining some fellow servant's job. God placed me right where he wants me and He has drawn a boundary for me to work within, He expects me to fulfill my assigned task, to bring glory to His name.

Is your minisry fulfilled?