CAUGHT IN A THICKET

CAUGHT IN A THICKET

Did you ever ask yourself, why do sheep wander? Usually because they cannot find what they need! In the big business of building a ministry, many shepherds lose touch with the needs of the sheep. They forget the quiet ones, the wounded ones and the private ones. In the rush to get to the next meeting with the strong ones, who help build their ministry, the hungry ones, wander off and eventually get caught in the entanglements of the world. Some sheep die without making a noise and leaders question, "does anyone know what ever happened to that little sheep with the blonde hair and freckles? What was their name? Oh well, I guess they weren't committed enough to stay with the program!" 

True shepherds have no interest in ever building a ministry! 

When you not interested in building a ministry, "and one of the sheep is gone astray, you will do as I do and leave the ninety and nine, and go into the mountains, and seek out that one which went astray? [13] And when you find it, verily I say unto you, if you have My heart, you will rejoice more of that one found sheep, than over any ministry or building or even the ninety and nine which went not astray." Matthew 18:12-13 

Those who work hard to build a ministry, one day will end up sacrificing sheep to save the ministry. My  shepherds will always leave the ministry behind, to save a sheep. When you love your ministry more that the sheep you are not worthy of your calling! "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep." John 10:11 and your calling as an under-shepherd is always to do the same. Your ministry becomes corrupted when compassion is crushed underneath busyness. When you start to hear, 'sir I only have a moment, I'm late for a meeting', the ministry is being corrupted! A sheep is hurting, but the meeting has already crushed compassion, and the thicket is the lambs next stop! 

The word ministry, comes from minister, and minister is not a person or a position like it is portrayed. Minister is an act of servant hood, I came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give My life a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28 A true pastor or shepherd or spiritual leader will always carry a spiritual towel in readiness to minister to the needs of the sheep. If you cannot minister to the single wandering one, your flock is too big for you to oversee, you must either pray for helpers, or give some of your sheep away. The ministry builders will never do that, because the number of sheep, determine the size and power of their ministry. My shepherds understand the harvest is to great for them to handle, so they pray in laborers. Matthew 9:37-38