But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. John 10:2 AMP

3. A person called by God to be a pastor/minister must have pure and consecrated motives.

a. A pastor/minister must desire God’s will and glory; not their own. Jesus is the Good Shepherd and He calls certain people as under-shepherds. Pastoring is a call. Pastors represent Jesus on earth and should care for the Church – the Body of Christ – as much as Jesus does. A pastor cannot have selfish motives – they cannot pastor because of a natural reward; whether money or fame or any other selfish reason. In God’s Kingdom, ministry is about serving, not being served. It’s about giving your life: caring for the sheep and protecting them from the wolves – not running away. A pastor/minister must love people like Jesus loves them.

John 10:9-13 AMP – I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). He will come in and he will go out [freely], and will find pasture. 10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). 11 I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His [own] life for the sheep. 12 But the hired servant (he who merely serves for wages) who is neither the shepherd nor the owner of the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, deserts the flock and runs away. And the wolf chases and snatches them and scatters [the flock]. 13 Now the hireling flees because he merely serves for wages and is not himself concerned about the sheep [cares nothing for them].

b. A pastor/minister must make salvation of lost souls a priority.

Luke 19:10 AMP – For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.

Acts 10:28 AMP – And he said to them, You yourselves are aware how it is not lawful or permissible for a Jew to keep company with or to visit or [even] to come near or to speak first to anyone of another nationality, but God has shown and taught me by words that I should not call any human being common or unhallowed or [ceremonially] unclean.

c. Like Jesus, a pastor/minister must do good, heal and deliver people by the power of God.

Acts 10:38 AMP – How God anointed and consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the [Holy] Spirit and with strength and ability and power; how He went about doing good and, in particular, curing all who were harassed and oppressed by [the power of] the devil, for God was with Him.

d. A pastor/minister must have the best interests of the church, and all men, at heart. The purpose of the ministry gifts is to equip the saints (believers) for ministry work, to spiritually build up the Body of Christ, to accurately communicate the truths of God’s word, resulting in unity among, and maturity in, God’s people.

Ephesians 4:11-13 NKJV – And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

e. A pastor/minister must see people as God sees them – through eyes of love and faith – as a new creation, growing in righteousness. His/her responsibility is to teach the Body of Christ who and what they are in Christ and to encourage them in their walk with God.

2 Corinthians 5:14-21 AMP – For the love of Christ controls and urges and impels us, because we are of the opinion and conviction that [if] One died for all, then all died; 15 And He died for all, so that all those who live might live no longer to and for themselves, but to and for Him Who died and was raised again for their sake. 16 Consequently, from now on we estimate and regard no one from a [purely] human point of view [in terms of natural standards of value]. [No] even though we once did estimate Christ from a human viewpoint and as a man, yet now [we have such knowledge of Him that] we know Him no longer [in terms of the flesh]. 17 Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! 18 But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him]. 19 It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor). 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ’s personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23-24 NKJV

God’s grace is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. It is activated in our lives when we submit to Him and His word, and when we believe it and act on it. As powerful as it is to change hearts and lives, it has some boundaries. This is what God’s word says about the things that grace cannot do:

1. Grace cannot set aside forever all condemnation for future sins – grace cannot and will not cover your unrepentant sin committed after you are born again.

John 5:14 AMP – Afterward, when Jesus found him in the temple, He said to him, See, you are well! Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.

John 8:34 AMP – Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Whoever commits and practices sin is the slave of sin.

Romans 6:1-23 ERV – So do you think we should continue sinning so that God will give us more and more grace? 2 Of course not! Our old sinful life ended. It’s dead. So how can we continue living in sin? 3 Did you forget that all of us became part of Christ Jesus when we were baptized? In our baptism we shared in his death. 4 So when we were baptized, we were buried with Christ and took part in his death. And just as Christ was raised from death by the wonderful power of the Father, so we can now live a new life. 5 Christ died, and we have been joined with him by dying too. So we will also be joined with him by rising from death as he did. 6 We know that our old life was put to death on the cross with Christ. This happened so that our sinful selves would have no power over us. Then we would not be slaves to sin. 7 Anyone who has died is made free from sin’s control. 8 If we died with Christ, we know that we will also live with him. 9 Christ was raised from death. And we know that he cannot die again. Death has no power over him now. 10 Yes, when Christ died, he died to defeat the power of sin one time—enough for all time. He now has a new life, and his new life is with God. 11 In the same way, you should see yourselves as being dead to the power of sin and alive for God through Christ Jesus. 12 But don’t let sin control your life here on earth. You must not be ruled by the things your sinful self makes you want to do. 13 Don’t offer the parts of your body to serve sin. Don’t use your bodies to do evil, but offer yourselves to God, as people who have died and now live. Offer the parts of your body to God to be used for doing good. 14 Sin will not be your master, because you are not under law. You now live under God’s grace. 15 So what should we do? Should we sin because we are under grace and not under law? Certainly not! 16 Surely you know that you become the slaves of whatever you give yourselves to. Anything or anyone you follow will be your master. You can follow sin, or you can obey God. Following sin brings spiritual death, but obeying God makes you right with him. 17 In the past you were slaves to sin—sin controlled you. But thank God, you fully obeyed what you were taught. 18 You were made free from sin, and now you are slaves to what is right. 19 I use this example from everyday life because you need help in understanding spiritual truths. In the past you offered the parts of your body to be slaves to your immoral and sinful thoughts. The result was that you lived only for sin. In the same way, you must now offer yourselves to be slaves to what is right. Then you will live only for God. 20 In the past you were slaves to sin, and you did not even think about doing right. 21 You did evil things, and now you are ashamed of what you did. Did those things help you? No, they only brought death. 22 But now you are free from sin. You have become slaves of God, and the result is that you live only for God. This will bring you eternal life. 23 When people sin, they earn what sin pays—death. But God gives his people a free gift—eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:12-13 AMP – So then, brethren, we are debtors, but not to the flesh [we are not obligated to our carnal nature], to live [a life ruled by the standards set up by the dictates] of the flesh. 13 For if you live according to [the dictates of] the flesh, you will surely die. But if through the power of the [Holy] Spirit you are [habitually] putting to death (making extinct, deadening) the [evil] deeds prompted by the body, you shall [really and genuinely] live forever.

Galatians 5:19-21 NKJV – Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

2 Corinthians 5:10 AMP – For we must all appear and be revealed as we are before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive [his pay] according to what he has done in the body, whether good or evil [considering what his purpose and motive have been, and what he has achieved, been busy with, and given himself and his attention to accomplishing].

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. Psalms 33:12 KJV

Blessed means happy. When God is acknowledged as the supreme authority in a nation – that will be a blessed, happy peaceful nation! God doesn’t only bless nations He particularly chooses. He has chosen to bless ALL nations. He promised Abraham that every nation would be blessed by his Seed, Jesus. He desires to bless every nation, but He cannot bless them unless they serve Him.

If we serve Him then we are His and He is ours! He has chosen us as His own inheritance. We are His possession. Song of Solomon 2:16 says, “My beloved is mine and I am His!” How marvelous it is – for an individual or a nation – to belong to Almighty God!

The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. 14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. Psalms 33:13-14 KJV

The Lord looks from Heaven and beholds the sons of men. This refers to the providence of God. Providence is a manifestation of divine care or direction. It means: the foreseeing care and guidance of God over the creatures of the earth – omnisciently directing the universe and the affairs of humankind with wise benevolence.

Matthew 5:45 tells us to love our enemies: “To show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and makes the rain fall upon the upright and the wrongdoers [alike].” (AMP) God loves and cares for ALL those He has created. It is HIS world and the devil is the trespasser. God is the source of life for everything that breathes on the earth and He is the one sustaining that life. When we display God’s love toward others, we display the nature of our Heavenly Father to the world.

The Lord looks from Heaven over all the inhabitants of the earth. He sees each and every one of them. He knows them and everything about each one – nothing is hidden from Him. He knows their hopes, their fears and the secret desires of their hearts. He is constantly reaching out to them and waiting for them to respond to His love and graciousness.

He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works. Psalms 33:15 KJV

God made man in His own likeness and He gave Him the power to reproduce himself in his own image and likeness. “When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, after his image; and he named him Seth” (Genesis 5:3). God did not create men sinful, nor did He create them imperfect in body, soul, or spirit. That came through sin and the misuse of the facilities that were originally created perfect. Man made his own mess. Each one of us is created by God with the potential to be everything HE has created us to be. We make our own choice to be something less than that. He watches over us and sees everything we do. He knows best and He knows what’s best for us. If we will stop and look to Him for direction and guidance, He will lead us into life and blessing. Every person born on the earth has the same potential and the same opportunity to experience a right relationship with the Father and to have His blessing on every area of their lives.

There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. 17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. Psalms 33:16-17 KJV

The greatest army cannot save a king, unless God is on his side. A king is just a man – like any other – and, without God’s protection and favor, can lose his life as easily as an ordinary soldier. The strength of a mighty man will not ultimately deliver him, unless God is with him. “Horse” refers to military strength. God rules over all nations and He is the one who both removes kings and also raises them up (Daniel 2:21); therefore a leader should not put their hope in their physical power. Whether we are a leader or a follower, these things cannot be the ground of our hope – our hope is in God and in His gracious offer to save us if we will only trust in Him. In Proverbs 8:15-16, He says: “By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth.” (NKJV)

Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; 19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. 20 Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield. 21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. 22 Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee. Psalms 33:18-22 KJV

He is our help and our shield! There is salvation in no one else; therefore, as a nation, we should place our hope in God. When we wait on Him, look to Him, and trust in Him, we can be confident that He will save us, deliver us and keep us alive no matter what is happening in the world. Because we trust in Him, He will deliver us. When He delivers us, we will also be able to rejoice in His deliverance.

The only hope for a nation is the Lord God. They can try all avenues of the world’s wisdom and the hand of man, but they will fail. The more they pursue their misguided path, the deeper into the mess they get – as a nation and a society. This is what has happened with all the nations of the world. They are still trying to defy God and build their own personal Tower of Babel, but it is bound to fail. It is time for the nation to bow its knee, pray, obey, and put their hope and confidence in God again. Only then, will deliverance, freedom and prosperity be restored.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord!

But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:6-8 NKJV

You cannot resist the devil until you have first submitted to God.

God gives us all the grace we need to overcome sin and the devil:

But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20b-21 NKJV

God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble:

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:5-7 NKJV

A proud, arrogant spirit makes you an easy target for the devil. When you think you can deal with the devil on your own terms, you will find out that you are no match for him. The power comes only from Jesus and flows through a life that is submitted to Him.

Jesus has defeated the devil and all authority has been given to Him:

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38 NKJV

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Matthew 28:18 NKJV

Jesus gave the authority to use His Name to the believer:

Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:17-20 NKJV

You have authority over devils and demons, but your rejoicing should not be over that, but only the fact that your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Therefore fully submit to God and His Word with your spirit and with your mind and will:

My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh. Proverbs 4:20-22 AMP

[That is] because the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God’s Law; indeed it cannot. Romans 8:7 AMP

So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word. Ephesians5:26 AMP

The carnal mind, which has not been renewed to God’s word, cannot and will not submit to God’s law, but when it is washed with the word of God, it becomes sanctified and submitted to Him. Welcome God’s word into your heart.

My son, do not think lightly or scorn to submit to the correction and discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage and give up and faint when you are reproved or corrected by Him; 6 For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes. 7 You must submit to and endure [correction] for discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons. Hebrews 12:5b-7 AMP

Submit to correction and discipline from your Father God. He loves you and the fruit of a disciplined life is the peaceable fruit of righteousness!

Resist the devil and he will flee from you:

Nor give place to the devil. Ephesians 4:27 NKJV

You give place to the devil through sin, disobedience and pride. Don’t allow the devil into your life and don’t allow sin, disobedience, or pride either. Ephesians 2:2 says that he is the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.

Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:7-8 NKJV

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil!

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 1 Peter 5:8-9 NKJV

Be aware, be awake, be steadfast in faith and resist the devil!

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:10-12 NKJV

We can’t fight the devil in our own strength, but we can defeat him with the weapons of our warfare: Truth, Righteousness, the Gospel of Peace, Faith, Salvation, the Word of God, Persevering Prayer, and most of all, the Name of Jesus!

Submit to God and resist the devil!

This horrible trek is the scene of the ultimate endurance test called the Sled Dog Race, where 12 huskies pull a sled and its driver thru the most exhausting, inhuman conditions one can fathom. One frequent champion was girl.

The secret, she would tell you, was her very own mind-set and the coaching of those dogs, which gave new meaning to the word “serious.” Her 150-dog dog house was a thing to behold.

straight after each puppy’s birth, although it was still blind, she held it in her hands and breathed her breath into its nose. She personally nursed them to health when they were wounded. She was infinitely patient with them, talked to them, thought in them, even sang to them ( old folks songs by Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, and some Irish lullabies ).

They saved her life on the trail several times. Back in 1979, she led her dog team to the 20,320-foot peak of Mount McKinley. One journalist described her as having “a stiff backbone.

.an unrelenting mind-set,” which was what she wanted to endure moose attacks, snowstorms so dreadful that one time for 5 hours she could not see the lead dog, and a unexpected plunge into icy water ( Granite and Maddie, the mushers, pulled her out ). To survive it calls for help from above and toughness from inside. If she was ready to give that sort of effort to win a race that’s awesome in the eyes of the Earth, appears to me we deserve to be capable of conquering the marathon from earth to heaven.

Dr. Rodney Howard Browne preaches that God has continually sought a personal relationship with each and every man and woman.

Both to Greeks and to barbarians (to the cultured and to the uncultured), both to the wise and the foolish, I have an obligation to discharge and a duty to perform and a debt to pay. 15 So, for my part, I am willing and eagerly ready to preach the Gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God’s power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  Romans 1:14-16 AMP

Rodney Howard Browne also points out that all the things that Saul had thought were so very important, all the things he was so very proud of, Paul counted as dung. Paul counted no longer on the flesh and his works and put all his confidence in Christ Jesus and the righteousness which is of God by faith. Now he lived to please God and not himself.  Paul made a commitment to Christ, to fulfill God’s call and to give his all for the Gospel and for the Kingdom of God! Even though he went through horrendous persecutions and hardships (2 Corinthians 11:22-28), he never lost sight of God’s purpose for his life and the debt of gratitude he owed the Lord for saving him.

Paul says that he had:
-an obligation to discharge
-a duty to perform
-and a debt to pay

Rodney Howard Browne tells us that a debt is something that is owed or that one is bound to pay to or perform for another. A duty is something that one is expected or required to do by moral or legal obligation. An obligation arises from a sense of duty. It is the act of binding or obliging oneself by a promise or a contract. An obligation is an agreement that is enforceable by law. It is an indebtedness – a favor, service or benefit for which gratitude is due. It is the state of being under a debt, as of gratitude, for a favor, service, or benefit. Paul voluntarily chose to obligate himself to God’s service because of his gratitude to the Lord. He committed himself completely, expecting nothing but a “well done” at the end of the road.

Rodney Howard Browne warns that many Christians do not feel the obligation to the Cross that Paul felt. Maybe they are lukewarm, or they have the fear of man in them. Either they don’t have a revelation of what Jesus has done for them personally or they are just flat ungrateful. They attach little or no value to the price He paid for their salvation. Of the woman who wept and anointed Jesus with precious perfume, Jesus said, “She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.” (Luke 7:47 Message Bible).

Christians, if they have not already done so, should realize how much they owe the Lord and stop living for themselves alone. We should all start to really appreciate the price Jesus paid for us and commit ourselves fully to God’s plans and purposes. You and I are no different than Paul. God has been so good to us! We have eternal life! We are not facing an eternity in hell! We too have an obligation to discharge and a duty to perform and a debt to pay! Let us purpose today to always be grateful to the Lord for the great things He has done for us and to get up and fulfill the Great Commission with the same heart and passion as Paul!

A cup bearer was the person that tasted the food and drink of the king before he ate or drank. That way, if it was poisoned, “So long, cup bearer,” but “Long live Pharaoh. This led straight to a really tight relationship, a relationship of trust between the 2 men. Regularly the king of the land would confide in the cup bearer. If you recall, Nehemiah was the cup bearer to the king of his day and had a close, private relationship with him. In a number of ways, the cup bearer was the most reliable man of the court.

If that trust was ever damaged, major implications followed. Something similar to that must have occurred, as the cupbearer to Pharaoh landed in jail—as had also the king’s baker. ( He was someone else on whom the pharaoh relied, because whatever he prepared passed into the mouth of the Egyptian ruler. ) The specifics of what had happened to cause this falling out and punishment we are never told. All we all know is that they “offended their lord” and he was “furious with his 2 officials.” Perhaps the biscuits dropped that morning, and later there were too many jalapenos in the chili, and the cupbearer did not warn Pharaoh.

It must’ve been related to the food because their roles were interrelated. But whatever it was, it made Pharaoh so indignant that he claimed, “Get out of my sight. And since God’s techniques are deep and surpassing, it occurred to be the same jail where Joseph was detained. Joseph and these 2 men may have finished up in jail for different reasons, but they found themselves in the same place, sharing similar miseries. And out of his very own unpleasant experience, Joseph was ready to minister to them.

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

1. The Great Commission

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age (Matthew 28: 19- 20 AMP).

• We have been commissioned to win souls.
• We have been commissioned to disciple and teach all that Jesus commanded.

Each One Reach One
Each One Teach One
Make Disciples
Multiply
Win the Lost at any Cost

• John 4 – Jesus is seen as the greatest soul winner.
• Friendship Evangelism
• Jesus disciples the Samaritan Woman by teaching her the principles of the kingdom of God.
• John 4 :10 – Salvation
• John 4:14 – Holy Spirit
• John 4 :18 – The Gifts of the Spirit
• John 4:21- 24 – Worship

30 The fruit of the [uncompromisingly] righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise captures human lives [for God, as a fisher of men—he gathers and receives them for eternity]
(Proverbs 11:30 AMP).

4 Who wishes all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge and recognition of the [divine] truth
(I Timothy 2:4 AMP).

2. Definition of a Disciple

The intentional training of believers with accountability based on loving relationships. See Matthew 10:24.

There is no substitute for learning from example.

14 And (JESUS) He appointed [a]twelve [disciples], so that they would be with Him [for instruction] and so that He could send them out to preach [the gospel as apostles—that is, as His special messengers, personally chosen representatives], 15 and to have authority and power to cast out demons (Mark 3:14-15 AMP).

From Jesus’ character, they learned:

• How to have a heart for God.
• How to make decisions.
• Good conversation.
• Doing the will of God.
• Depending on the Holy Spirit.

Christian Values
• Love, faith, prayer, humility, obedience
• Discipline, self sacrifice, teachable attitude
• Openness to learn
• Heart of a servant
• Constant devotion

3. Jesus modeled the importance of ministry in the home.

• Dead brought back to life – Matthew 9:23-25
• Preach and Teach – Luke 5:17-18
• Instruction – Matthew 17:25-27
• Healing – Matthew 8:14-15
• Fellowship and Eating – Matthew 8:10-13
• Singing and Worship – Matthew 26:30
• Forgiveness of Sin – Mark 2:1-5
• Demons Cast Out – Mark 7:24-30
• Children Blessed – Mark 9:33-37
• Homes Blessed with Peace – Matthew 10:13

4. New Testament Church – Houses of Joy

42 They were continually and faithfully devoting themselves to the instruction of the apostles, and to fellowship, to eating meals together and to prayers (Acts 2:42 AMP).

46 Day after day they met in the temple [area] continuing with one mind, and breaking bread in various private homes. They were eating their meals together with joy and generous hearts, 47 praising God continually, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:46-47).

5. Houses of Joy – Ministry Centers

• Houses of Healing – Matthew 8:6-7
• Houses of Deliverance – Mark 7:30
• Houses of Salvation – Luke 19:5
• Houses of the presence of the Holy Spirit – Acts 2:2
• Houses of Evangelism – Acts 17:7-8 / Acts 21:8

6. Houses of Joy

33 The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the home of the just and righteous (Proverbs 3:33 AMP).

6 Great and priceless treasure is in the house of the [consistently] righteous one [who seeks godly instruction and grows in wisdom], But trouble is in the income of the wicked one [who rejects the laws of God] (Proverbs 15:6 AMP).

7. Confession

• Our house is a household of faith. Galatians 6:10
• Our house is a household of peace. Isaiah 32:18
• Our house is full of light. Exodus 10:23
• Our house is off limits to sickness. Psalm 91:10
• Our house is filled with salvation. Luke 19:9
• Our house is a blessed house. Proverbs 3:33
• Our house is off limits to vandalism. Proverbs 24:15
• Our house is a protected house. Isaiah 4:5
• Our house is a happy home. Esther 8:16-17
• Our house is an evangelistic center. Job 11:18-19

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

II Thessalonians 3:10-12  (NAS)

10 For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone will not work, neither let him eat.

11 For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.

12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.

Paul gives very clear instruction and direction to the church in this passage concerning how they were to apply their time and resources. He told them to mind their own business, work and lead a disciplined life. You see their lives were turned upside-down when they received Jesus and were baptized in the Holy Ghost. They spent their time meeting in houses, learning more about Jesus. It was all so new and different for them. They gained new friends and lost some old ones. Everything changed for them. Some of them were called into full-time ministry. They left their jobs and went out preaching. But in the course of time, these new Christians needed to find some direction for their lives and Paul supplies it here.

The same thing happens today when we get born again.  Everything changes for us. We are different on the inside. We learn new things, some of which are totally contrary to the things we have learned in the past. In the world, we are told to hold on to what we have, but God tells us to give. In the world we wear ourselves out to supply our families with the basics, but God tells us that if we will obey and serve Him, He will meet our needs. This can be confusing for new Christians. Indeed, some people think that because God helps us we can sit back and do nothing and He will just do everything.

It does not work that way. God will help us and bless us, but we must do our part. We must be disciplined and we must love to work. Working with God on your side is different from doing it all by yourself, by the sweat of your brow. It is much easier because you have the mind of Christ. He leads you and gives you wisdom so that your labor is productive. He blesses the work of your hands; but, if your hands are not working, He has nothing to bless. If God has called you into ministry, He will not call you out of your job into NOTHING. He will call you into a time of study or preparation or He will call you into ministry which is WORK. Usually there is a transition time. One thing phases out as the other takes over. You start to minister and you get so busy ministering that you don’t have time to do secular work.

Some people claim that God has called them into a life of faith, so they quit working. Many times it’s not a life of faith, but a life of hope. “Gee, I sure HOPE that God comes through for me while I sit here doing nothing!” God will bless the work of your hands not the seat of your pants. Whether you work in business or in the ministry, it is all WORK. Being called of God is no excuse to be lazy. There is a joy and a satisfaction in working hard and doing something worthwhile with your life. When you make up your mind to discipline yourself, to work hard, and not be lazy or sloppy, God will begin to bless the work of your hands.

Psalm 128:1-4  (NIV)

1 Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways.

2 You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive

shoots around your table.

4Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Proverbs 29:15  (KJV)

15The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

Many people, even highly educated ones, seem to lack wisdom or common sense. They know a lot, but it isn’t enough to help them to make a success of their lives. If we are wise parents and if we spank and instruct our children the way God tells us to, they will be wise children and we will not be ashamed of them when they are grown.

Proverbs 19:18  (KJV)

18Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.

The NKJ says, “Chasten your son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction.” And the NIV says, “Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.” The Hebrew word tiqvah (tik-vaw’) translated “hope” here, means literally, a cord (as an attachment); figuratively, expectancy. Translated in the KJV as expectation, expected, hope, live, thing that I long for. We need to bring correction into our children’s lives while there is hope for them. The younger your child is, the more hope there is.

Proverbs 13:24  (NKJ)

24He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.

According to the Bible, if you love your child you will discipline him early in his life and you will not hold back from spanking him. Start correcting your children early in their lives – don’t wait until you see bad fruit before you try to bring correction. The root is the problem and the root is established when the “plant” is a seedling. In most cases, we only see the “fruit” in their teenage years which is almost too late. You must keep sowing spankings and correction and direction into their lives from babyhood and in due time you will reap the precious harvest of a soul who loves God and loves righteousness.

Proverbs 29:17  (NKJ)

17Correct your son, and he will give you rest; yes, he will give delight to your soul.

When we put the time and effort into raising our kids God’s way when they are young then we will have peace and joy in them when they are older.

Proverbs 23:24  (NKJ)

24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will delight in him.

Wise and righteous children are not born that way – they are shaped by wise and loving parents who will raise them God’s way.

The first thing you must do, as a parent, is to love your kids with all your heart with an unconditional love. The love you show them should not be dependant on the way they are or the way they behave, but just because you love them. They must know that you still love them no matter what they do or say. That is the way God loves us and we are God’s representatives to our children.

The second thing that you must remember is that you must be the person you want your kids to be. Children are born imitators. They act just like we do. Don’t expect your kids to do the right thing if you are doing the wrong thing. No matter how many times you tell them what to do and how to do it, they are going to follow you and do what you are doing. So set a good example, because they are going to be just like you.

The third thing you must do is to never correct them in anger. Correction is done for their benefit, to equip them to live as contributing members of society. If we are angry then the focus is on us and not on them. The issue is their bad behavior and not our feelings about it. They are not being corrected because we are angry, but because they are wrong. And they need to receive correction in a spirit of repentance.

The fourth thing is that the “punishment” should fit the “crime”. Don’t over or under discipline the child. Lies and a rebellious attitude are serious problems and should be dealt with accordingly. Also, silly mistakes are not the same as deliberate sin. Don’t be severe on the child when they have only made a mistake.

The fifth thing is that you should make sure that they repent of their sin, because it is sin in God’s eyes. They need to see you allowing the Word of God to be the final authority in your life and they need to be taught to govern their lives by the Word and the Spirit of God. The Word is the answer to all of life’s situations and our children need to see us allowing God to work in our lives and allowing Him to correct and discipline us. And then they will receive correction and direction from us. When children are spanked or corrected and do not repent, they become resentful and later they become rebellious.

Always reassure them that you love them. Make sure you hug them and that they hug you back and display a forgiving attitude toward you for being the one who brought the correction. Remember God’s Word always works!