I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? 2 Corinthians 12:15
Certainly, we have no lack of spiritually ‘called’ individuals today.
For many are called, but few are chosen. Matthew 22:14
And we have no lack of ‘gifted’ individuals.
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:7
And many have a very strong intellect and academic training for human understanding. But is seminary enough to ‘qualify’ someone for ‘ministry’? What is the largest most important missing ingredient in the ekklesia (Church) today in this country? Prayer? Preaching? Sermonizing? Discipleship? Buildings? Worship? Meetings? Conferences? Small groups? Revelation?
Obviously, you’re now wondering what I’m trying to get at. And I have a tendency to ask the Holy Spirit hard questions. And I often really don’t like His answers because they ‘cut me to the quick’ of my soul because His answers greatly highlight my ‘lack’. I’ve taught the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) for decades in many, many small groups, yet the fruit of the Spirit that encompasses all of them tends to be the ‘main’ missing ingredient in all the areas of our lives and especially in ‘spiritual ministry’.
This is what Paul learned by the Holy Spirit of the importance of … (agape) love.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
So, your incredibly gifted, talented, supremely intelligent, revelatory, sermonizing platform lead Pastor is what … without the fruit of the Spirit of love, exercised, utilized, and really shown? Have you personally experienced that fruit from your ‘spiritual leader’ regularly? Do they have the same kind of commitment to you as Paul had towards his most ‘rowdy’, and difficult group of people? (Reread the first scripture)
How do you experience God’s love through others? How do you know their real ‘intent’ and motive? Is the love you express to others from the prompting of the Holy Spirit? Or is it desiring a reciprocal action from the other person? What are your real motives in the acts and words of love you are showing and giving others? Is it truly unconditional love expecting NOTHING in return?
This IS the MAIN ingredient that should ‘mark’ a real group of followers of Jesus.
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:35
Would outsiders be astonished by the love on display in your group, and through the actions you do for one another that you are a part of? Is (agape) love the main ingredient in everything you do?
How honest are you with the Holy Spirit? Can you confess your shortcomings regularly? Are you self-aware of your need for more of Him? Do you express your spiritual lack to anyone around you? How honest can you be with your close friends?
He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30
Have you asked the Holy Spirit how you are to give and show His love today? To your spouse? Your children? Your close friends? Your small group? Your neighbors?
Have you asked the Holy Spirit to increase and grow His fruit of love in you? What assignments do you think He will give you?
Love needs to be on display.