The young preacher cannot have a close relationship with other ecumenical pastors. A young preacher must learn to be alone. His emails will not be replied by most of the senior pastors. And this is also a kind of testing, testing of the spirit, if you are one of the young preachers, you must be strong in faith, to face even death.
People will puncture your van 3 times in 2 months, and you must give thanks, remember how they nailed the Lord Jesus. 3 nails are small matters. Testing of the spirit. Do you have this test or not? Or you just have another test the VPP nails?
At night, someone is on your rooftop, walking here and there, making sound to test you, breaking your roof tiles, and you must be silent, and give thanks, when it is raining the rain is running down from the rooftop, and you have to spend time and money to repair the rooftop, even you are so poor, this also, you cannot complaint, you must give thanks, shout praises to the Lord, because you also can sleep well at night, so you just have to repair the rooftop more often, when it is leaking, remember the Lord, he also was led to the rooftop of the temple. This is the testing for the young man who wanted to serve the Lord full time, be prepared for testing.
There are testings like people breaking in your house, and taken your money, this also you must give thanks, you just a little bit poorer. I am still living. And also your pet killed by someone, you may cry for a moment, but life going to continue, it is a small test. The mechanic purposely break your church van's air filter, in an order you may pay more for your petrol per month, and he throws away the clip belong to the air filter, and dust goes into your engine, this a testing of the spirit, you have to pass. You have to look for another mechanic for every oil change. And brother in Christ from another church, selling you low grade of engine oil, and damaging your van engine, this also you pay for, to repair the van, you have to give thank to the Lord, he treated you like this, because you are in BP, you are a separatist, an unfriendly Christian. They knew you driving a church van, so the whole town raises up to destroy your van, my van nearly burnt down because of one of the mechanic mistake, thank God I survived. This is one of the little testings of the spirit. In anger do not sin.
One day I have been drag and bitten by an elderly man, my cloth has been tore, but I have to smile and said hello to him every day, happily I have been bitten because of the sake of the gospel, I do no wrong to this rich man. Like Paul, he has been bitten more than me, so I thank God, this man wanted to kill my wife, but I forgive and pray for his salvation. This is testing of the spirit, I just love him and do not hate him, treat him like my son. I hope I can.
Because the people must test you, and many times I fail, but I learn from my failures. More than 20 years I lived in these testing. I hope the Holy Spirit does not leave me alone, please stay in me. There are testing of the spirit, I do not see this as persecution, but this is to make you strong. There are times people put poison in my food and thank God, still, I can live until today, I may felt the difference after taking the food, but my life is in the hands of the Lord.
Younger preacher's life is hard, but it is worth to fail in testing, fail in trying, rather than not trying, you must take up the cross and follow the great suffering Lamb of God, Amen.
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