The goal before us in ministry is to finish strongto persevere. So we can say at the end of our lives, I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. Therefore there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that day. And not to me only, but also to those who love His appearing (2 Timothy 4:7-8). Finishing strongdeveloping finish line faithtakes perseverance. And perseverance requires something we tend to overlook in ministry: the Farmer Principle. Its a lesson that I have had to learn painfully in my life during four or five different seasons. Im a Martha, not a Mary. Im a work-for-God person. But I have had to learn the hard way that if you dont feed yourself first, you dont have anything to give people. During specific times in my lifefrom all the way back to college, and early on as a pastor, and several years ago on sabbatical and in a smaller way more recentlythe Lord again brought me back to 2 Timothy 2:6. The farmer that labors must be the first to partake of the fruits. You cant take everything you have, and give it away, give it away, give it away. If youre not putting in first, the strength is draining out of your life. Listen ministers, faithful Childrens Ministry workers, Small Group leaders, Student Ministry, and all the rest of those who serve Christthe farmer that labors must be the first to partake of the fruits. Thats the Farmer Principle. If youre not feeding yourself spiritually, youre going down. You can come into all kinds of things for God in the church and in other places, but if youre not feeding yourself first you are becoming more and more ripe, more and more susceptible to an attack by the enemy. Feed yourself first. Its part of learning how to persevere.
from: http://jamesmacdonald.com/blog/?p=11579
_________________ SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
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