In this current day, much of the pastor's focus is spent on what he can best do to reach others. Sometimes this is manifest in starting a new program, or attending a new conference, preaching a new sermon series, etc. Recently, I have been thinking much about what God has in store for me following my current assignment. As a result, that one thought has consumed my thoughts and my time.

A few weeks ago, I spent a whole day in the forest alone, seeking God. I wanted Him to answer me about my next assignment. I wanted Him to answer me concerning what I might do to better impact my community. I wanted answers. So, I went into the forest with my Bible and a copy of Words to Winners of Souls by Horatius Bonar and The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter, along with some other excerpts and articles. After praying through a few of the Psalms, I began to read both of these books. Needless to say, I got some answers...just not the answers I wanted...

God said..."You are too busy pursuing answers, and not busy enough pursuing ME"

Allow me to give you some excerpts from my reading that day... 

  • Bonar, quoting others writes, "It is much to be feared that we are weak in the pulpit because we are weak in the [prayer] closet," (11) and "lukewarm pastors make careless Christians." (2) Furthermore, "Oh, do that on our souls which thou wouldst use us to do on the souls of others!" (8)
  • R.A. Torrey writes, "Other things being equal, your growth and mine into the likeness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be in exact proportion to the time and the heart we put into prayer."
  • Richard Baxter writes, "Be careful...that you preach to yourselves the sermons which you study, before you preach them to others." (61) Furthermore, "It is a palpable error of some ministers, who make such a disproportion between their preaching and their living; who study hard to preach exactly, and study little or not at all to live exactly." (64)
  • Spurgeon writes, "It will be in vain for me to stock my library, or organise societies, or project schemes, if I neglect the culture of myself; for books, and agencies, and systems are only remotely the instruments of my holy calling; my own spirit, soul, and body, are my nearest machinery for sacred service; my spiritual faculties, and my inner life, are my battle axe and weapons of war." (Lectures to My Students, 8)
So, I read these words and heard the answer of God. May we not be guilty of seeking everything but God. Yes, books are good, conferences are good, blogs are good; we need to learn from each other. Correspondence and cooperation are important in ministry. Nevertheless, our personal holiness and nearness to God must NEVER be neglected. That should be our first and foremost task and responsibility. If we "succeed" in drawing near to Christ and being conformed to His image, then "success" in ministry will follow.