Blessed are the Ministers for the Lord

Prayer-Soldier

And I will drive you out From your station, and depose you from your ministry. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliacim the son of Helcias, and I will clothe him with your robe, and will strengthen him with your girdle, and will give your power into his hand: and he shall be as a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Juda. And I will lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulder: and he shall open, and none shall shut: and he shall shut, and none shall open. And I will fasten him as a peg in a sure place, and he shall be for a throne of glory to the house of his father. (Isaiah 22:19-23)

O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Or who has first given to him, and recompense shall be made him? For of him, and by him, and in him, are all things: to him be glory for ever. Amen. (Romans 11:33-36)

And Jesus came into the quarters of Cesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is? But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Jesus said to them: But whom do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said: Your are Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to you: That you are Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven. Then he commanded his disciples, that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ. (Matthew 11:13-20)

Blessed are those who are called to minster for the Lord, for in their ministry, the work of God is done through their hands. What greater blessing could we receive than to perform on behalf of the Lord in service of one another?

Woe to those who profess to work in His name, but perform and speak in deceit, sow divisions, twist the Word, or lead others to a crooked path. Those who profess to be ministers, but seek their own ends will eventually be held to account.

He knows the heart of the insincere. He knows the hearts which are corrupted by the evil one. He knows those who seek to be shepherds, but do not care truly for the flock. He knows the hearts of those who have fallen, but seek to hide in professions of words which are not consistent with deeds.

That which is given for stewardship by the Lord may also be taken from those who fail to respond to the trust which is placed within them. He also knows the heart which struggles to shed the sin which surrounds it. If we find ourselves in challenge, in prayer, we may ask for His help, guidance and protection from the evil one so that we are not lost to the temptations of the world which seeks to attack our soul.

Should we hear His voice, let us respond with praise and the question as to how we may perform His will. Let us pray that we do not fall to temptation, but find the strength to do that which is pleasing to the Lord. In prayer, let us ask for His guidance so that we act as responsible stewards of the world He entrusts to us and such that we care for the souls He sends to cross our paths.

Blessed is he who ponders the wonders of the universe. Blessed is he who gives praise to the Lord for all creation. Blessed is he who marvels at all which surrounds our existence, for the totality of what exists is beyond our comprehension and beyond our ability to construct.

How crude are the ways of man in comparison with the great wonders of the universe. Even the most complex of what we believe we comprehend can touch the smallest bit of knowledge of the Lord. Though the Lord has given man dominion of the world, how arrogant are we that we might believe we know better than God that we should ignore what He asks of us.

The wisdom of His commandments are so that we may live in peace and love of Him and one another, yet, we seek our own ways, paths of selfishness, paths of conflict; false paths leading to the destruction of our very soul. In prayer, we should listen for His voice, listen for His wisdom. In prayer, we should ask that the Holy Spirit grant us understanding so that we are able to contribute to a better world, a world pleasing to the Lord.

Upon a sinner, the Lord placed the foundation of His church so that the gospel might be spread for the salvation of all sinners. Even those who were closest to Him were filled with fault, but He filled them with the Holy Spirit so that they may walk to the tribes of Israel, that they may walk to the lost sheep, that they may walk among the Gentiles so that they may spread the news to all the children of God that salvation is offered to all who believe in the Son of God.

Many will hear, but many will turn away. Many will be filled with the Holy Spirit and will seek to do the great works of the Lord, but many will shun the One sent to guide them in the ways of the Lord. Many will be filled with selflessness and love, for in their belief, they will be able to let go of the evil which drives hate and all the miseries of evil. Others, though, will fall to the deceptions of the world and seek to fulfill the desires of their selfishness. In prayer we should pray that such souls are enabled to see the wages of their ways and the blessings they may receive if they repent and follow in the ways of the Lord.

As we engage each soul, let us pray that we are guided so that we may help bring lost souls to the light. If we struggle with our own faith, let us pray that we are blessed with understanding and are guided away from temptation. Let us pray that we may be infused with the Holy Spirit in the same way as the Apostles and disciples of the Lord. As we receive and live in the light of the good news of the Lord, let us pray in thanks and praise for our salvation.

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier