Have a Response

 

Have a Response

1 Corinthians 9: ³ When people criticize me, this is how I defend myself: ⁴ Don't I have the right to be given food and drink for my work? ⁵ Don't I have the right to follow the example of the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Peter, by taking a Christian wife with me on my trips? ⁶ Or are Barnabas and I the only ones who have to work for our living? ⁷ What soldiers ever have to pay their own expenses in the army? What farmers do not eat the grapes from their own vineyard? What shepherds do not use the milk from their own sheep?

 

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When I got off the stage I felt debased. I was invited to speak on one subject, but was ambushed with other questions I was not expecting. Unfortunately for me, I had no response. An audience member pulled me to the side and said “You have the microphone. Speak from your platform.” “What did that mean?” ran through my mind.

 

• There have been times when I was unprepared with my response.
• There have been times when I have been criticized and I did not have a satisfactory reply.
• There have been times when I have faced combative people and had no “defense.”

 

Paul felt the need to teach people how to defend their service to the LORD. He talks about some controversial topics that remain to this day. “Should a person get paid for speaking about JESUS?” And “Should the spouse of the speaker be taken care of too?” were probably the questions he addressed. He provided a “platform.”

 

• GOD wants me to speak about HIM and have other people support HIS work through me.
• GOD wants me to know it is alright to be supported by others when I dedicate my life to speaking about HIM.
• GOD wants me to have a response to criticism ready that still points people to HIM.

 

Rather than arguing, GOD wants me to be ready for those who criticize me for speaking about HIM. HE knows some people will not agree that JESUS is the answer because he or she may be too blinded by the world to hear that JESUS “IS” the answer to any and all problems.

 

A life dedicated to speaking about JESUS deserves life sustaining conveniences. Luxury items complicate what is life sustaining these days. BUT GOD knows all of my needs, wants and desires. When I align those to HIM, I am always taken care of. My response to those who criticize me for serving the LORD is “HE loves you and me.”

 

• Are you getting into arguments about GOD’s calling on your life?
• Do you get frustrated because you have to defend what GOD told you to do?
• Will you relax the need to argue and be prepared to pray for those who may not understand and teach those who do to support GOD’s vision HE has on your life?

Price of Preaching

Micah 3: ⁹ Hear this, you leaders of Jacob,
    you rulers of Israel,
who despise justice
    and distort all that is right;
¹⁰ who build Zion with bloodshed,
    and Jerusalem with wickedness.
¹¹ Her leaders judge for a bribe,
    her priests teach for a price,
    and her prophets tell fortunes for money.
Yet they look for the Lord’s support and say,
    “Is not the Lord among us?
    No disaster will come upon us.”

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“Maybe I can make some money on a daily devotional” I thought to myself. I mean I do have enough material that I can copy and paste the words into a book and make some cash. Moments later I felt a voice tell me “Do not sell MY words. Give them to MY kingdom and feed MY sheep.”

• I’ve had thoughts of selling to the church.
• I’ve had thoughts of making a profit from GOD’s gathering.
• I’ve had thoughts of saying what people wanted to hear, disregarding what GOD really wants me to say.

After a while, the religious leaders of JESUS’s day were going through the motions. They spoke in front of great crowds for a price and if anyone stood in their way, they would slander them and have them killed. What does GOD want me to do?

• GOD tells me to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the FATHER and of the SON and of the HOLY SPIRIT.”
• GOD tells me to “Love the LORD your GOD with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”
• GOD tells me to “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

From GOD’s directives, I never hear “go make as much money on the backs of MY people.” HE tells me to gather as many people as I can, while I am alive, to bring them to HIS feet, then HE will give me my reward in Heaven. GOD’s harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

• Are you thinking about making more money using GOD’s people?
• Have you been preaching and teaching what people want to hear in order to get or keep a crowd?
• Can you admit your sins in front of a crowd so they can hear and be saved by GOD, not you?