You Can't Ride That Horse

One day while my daughter, Devin, was at the ranch where she took horse-back riding lessons one of her friends had come along to watch. Her lessons usually lasted about an hour or more. As the lesson progressed Devin stopped by where we were all sitting to rest Flash, her horse. Flash is a small horse, not a pony, but a bit less than the average horse. Make no mistake his size is in no way relavent to his heart. He is a jumper and will go over anything you set infront of him. My daughters instructor was even heasitant about letting Devin on him when she first started. So while Devin was standing there with Flash in hand her freind said, when do I get to ride? The way she said it was almost demanding, so what Devin said next really put things in perspective. " You can't ride this horse", Devin replied without hesitation. Her friend made some kind of reply that showed she really didn't know what she was about to get into. Flash was not a trail riding horse, he was fine tuned, easy going, but you could get into trouble if you didn't understand how to ride him. Devin had spent many hours learning how to ride, the parts of a saddle, how to care for a horse, grooming and mucking stalls before she ever stepping into the saddle. And even then she learned on a "lesson" style horse the kind of horse you could put a two year old child on and walk around the arena with. So Devins' reply wasn't to be selfish rather she was being practical even the instructor invited her friend to come back next week and start on a program but this isn't a horse you just hop on and ride.

I tell you this story because lately a few things have come to my attention that I thought need s'plaining. In ministry, many times I come across people that feel called to use their talents for Gods work. That usually comes after a moment of personal inventory and guidance by a pastor or church leader. Starting a ministry is only one part of your walk with Christ and should not be taken lightly. In your ministry also comes a responsibility to maintain that relationship with God. That relationship is developed through worship with others. If you occasionally go to church or not at all how will your relationship with Christ deepen and how will you see Him at work if you go slip back into the worlds way of doing things. It won't work.

Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more, since you see that the Day of the Lord is coming nearer.

A ministry requires being ministered to. You can't bring others to Christ if you don't know how yourself. The bible warns teachers to take inventory of what they are about to do and don't enter into it lightly. You may have heard the saying if you run with dogs you'll get fleas. James 1:3 says it like this "You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors."

We must all take inventory of where we are in our walk with Christ. If your ministry is without Christ and leadership at it's center you may just have a hobby. You must take inventory of your heart, is it full of anger, bitterness and resentment? Is Christ really at your core, is it all about Him or all about you? Only you can answer these questions. In my opinion you're kidding yourself if you are in a ministry without accountablility.

"But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience." Luke 8:15

I've lost my cool before and made mistakes in my ministry, yet at every turn and decision Christ is at the core of everyting I do.

Are you prepared for the ride? Is this a horse you can ride?