I will be a faithful and wise churchwarden of God and I will not be tied to this world

From: April 29 – May 5, 2008

Pastor: Edith Cruz

STUDY: # 540

TOPIC: “I will be a faithful and wise churchwarden of God and I will not be tied to this world" Luke 12:42-48 No one likes to be punished with lashes. The bad churchwardens will be punished this way. Luke 12: 47 Then, the best thing for a servant is to do right for His Lord and not wrong. The Word is for everyone to grow, as a Church, to be faithful and wise. Let us get to know ourselves in order to become good administrators of our life for God. The devil will always be scheming against us to keep us tied to this Earth with something. Luke 12: 22 Let us not become too eager, let us open our eyes to see that sometimes we are clung to this world. And instead of being at a spiritual level of search we find it difficult to pray, to read the Word, etc. The Word is for us to live with our eyes wide open and become more knowledgeable. The same God that takes care of the crows that don't reap or sow is the same God that will feed us, then, why not depend completely on Him. The word says: “tighten your loins, light up your lamps. We should be prepared to run when the time comes. If we don't have our loins tightened, when the time comes to run we will trip. If our lamp is not lit we will not be able to see in the dark. If we know how to light our feet no one or anything will make us trip. Let us be careful because we forget that Jesus is coming. There are many things that make us trip and tie us to this world. Let us learn to rest completely in God. As the years go by some Christians move further away each day from the knowledge of the Scriptures. For this reason we must be vigilant. To be vigilant means to pursue something that we want for us. We are people brought to this world for God’s purposes. The servant is alert at all times, in the second and third vigil. Luke 12: 38 We must keep on watching in the most difficult moments, when everything is dark. The devil wants to get us tied up with anything that may seem natural to us. If we cease to watch we will be detained with the material things of this world, etc. God didn't call us for this but to be watchful. Why does God have us here? To be amusing, angry, gossiping, etc.? We should not change what God has for anything of this world. Let us be able to look inside of ourselves. We must always have our waist tighten in order to run. We are waiting for Jesus. Some are so tied up in this world that they don't expect the prompt coming of Christ. They don't know that He can come in the second or third vigil. As believers we should be prepared each day. Let us begin to find what is necessary to fix in us because there will be a wedding. Let us be faithful and wise churchwardens. How difficult it is for mankind to be faithful! For this reason we have to seek God in such a way. The people of God have to be wise in caring for themselves. God has made us churchwardens of the gifts, of the grace, and the well-being received as the Church. The wiser and faithful we are, the harder it will be for us to fall. Let us live for all that God has put in our hands. All of us who profess to be churchwardens of God are placed over the Lord’s House and we give a portion to the people. As the Church we should be veiling properly. We are churchwardens of the Lord working with human beings; it is the most difficult thing. But, it is a privilege to struggle with people and not with things. As the Church we should be willing to suffer, because we work with people. That is why we have to give the best as wise churchwardens. We are disciples, soldiers prepared to suffer on behalf of Christ forming others.

Jesus spoke to the disciples not to be materialist or greedy. Once men become greedy they don’t even feed themselves in order to save. But when their soul is asked for, what good are the savings for? When we become attached to the things of this world our thoughts are for ourselves and not for God. If the servant stops to watch the second and third vigil for not waiting for the Lord, the lashes will come. When we open our mouth and we don’t do well, we throw dirt on what is sacred. At the altar we have formed our spiritual life, how are we going to throw dirt on what is sacred if we were called to be churchwardens of this gospel? We cease to be faithful churchwardens thinking that the Lord is delayed. We start to eat, to get intoxicated, to sleep, throwing dirt at the House of God. The churchwarden abstains from doing what he should not do. Some call themselves believers, but they act as impious; they don't believe. Their acts say that they are walking day and night in their pleasures, attached to this world, comfortable, without tightening their loins, living as impious. Let us pay attention to our acts. As the Church we have to know how to be vigilant. Verse 46 The Lord will punish and place with the infidels those who were called to be churchwardens and use unfairly the privileges given by God. That servant, knowing the will of God, did not prepare himself; therefore, he did not give the measure expected, and his lashes were duplicated. God has given us privileges and has called us to do His will. The more privileges we have, the more responsibilities. God has given us many good things and privileges. As churchwardens we have more responsibilities. There are many lives that are waiting for us and need of men and women who are fearful of God. To be a pastor is a gift of much privilege and responsibility. Greater honor brings more responsibility. There are many long hours of silence and tears. If God claims from us we have to be good churchwardens. To be good churchwardens represents to live days of struggles. For that reason it is necessary to prepare strongly, but some escape from this and like to hide. Those who are called to be churchwardens have to be prepared in the Word, love souls, and surrender for them until we wear out. Our support from God will come according to how much we pray. It is not to do our will as we please but to do God’s will. Otherwise, our lashes will be duplicated and this is not good for anyone. Those who have known God’s will just as they are revealed in the Scriptures, have the great responsibility of obeying it. God’s will is what it is, it is not ours. God doesn't need our advice and ideas; He just wants us to surrender to Him. Much is expected from those who have received much. His call is such a great privilege! Amen.