Rembrandt's rendition of the Apostle Paul in prison

As a minister i am challenged by the apostle Paul.

First what he prays for the people he ministered to in Philippi to whom he wrote; he prays that 

•    they will grow in love,  
•    they will grow in knowledge, in revelation, in discernment.

Question : What am I praying for the people i lead, what am i asking God to do in their lives, do i get so caught up in the temporal needs of people that i fail to cry out for inward transformation by the power of the Holy Spirit, and revelation of God?

Then he tells them that his joy will overflow in knowing that

• they are united in thought, in love, in feelings and that
• they are pursuing the same objective.

This is the thing that his heart desires for his people. Question :What does my heart desire for the people  i lead; what makes me happy concerning them, what is the work of God in their lives that gets me excited, what kind of testimonies thrill me?

And , he encourages them to

• obedience,
• live a life worthy of the gospel, and still more to
• contend for the faith
• accept to suffer for the gospel
• be humble

Do i preach these things or i simply scratch their itch and nourish their carnal desires so they keep coming back to feed my famished ego every week; do i fear to call for obedience, godly living, humility, unity and an evangelistic lifestyle for fear of boring people? Paul did not.

I am challenged by Paul. My consistent prayer is God, whatever you did to Paul, do to me.

Articles Similaires:

1. Interpellée par Paul