Talk:Trust
What I hear in this message is this: The ministers are advocates who help bind families together in the kingdom of heaven. Ultimately, a minister should be able to step out of the way, and the families will still be able to interact wholesomely. This results as ministers do what God asks them to do as they interact among the families. The minister’s interactions begin with those who elected him as their minister, but the minister progresses to guide interactions with other congregations (CoRE to CoRE interactions). The minister advocates a functioning network, because that is the essence of a kingdom founded on principles of liberty and justice.
Within a CoRE, a minister encourages the elders toward loving one another and casting their own bread upon the waters. The minister stands at the altar of Christ to receive offerings, guard them and facilitate the flow of them to supply for needs. He may supply after someone has asked (prayed, applied) for help. By what process or according to what command or guideline does he make his decision to supply from the altar to meet a need? His response to the one who has asked is based upon the way he is led by the Spirit. Is that a formula? The minister who is led by the Spirit of the Almighty is guided to maintain God's law, in justice and mercy and faith and righteousness ... by means of God's love graced upon him. His response is tempered by what his experiences have taught him (unless he is willing to repeat his previous errors).
Elders in a congregation also need to be led by the same Spirit and the same law of God. An elder walks in the context of his family, and he comes to the "city gates" to interact with the other elders who congregate with their elected minister. These elders attend to the same set of weightier matters as their minister heeds. Each elder who is diligent would be learning ways to effectively interact among his immediate family and his extended family, where all of those family members are encouraged to obey the command to caste their bread upon the waters.
Elders and ministers alike, I sense our failures to forgive, generously give and assemble together lead to the erosion of what is good in the kingdom of heaven. My need for improving in these three aspects is evident to me, but others could teach or reprove me through their testimony, until I begin to see things I cannot yet see. Interactions of life are for purposes of promoting healthier life.
Liberty may be had by all, but liberty comes alongside of the liberty-seeker's actions of responsibility. The kingdom of heaven is inhabited by those who are diligent in doing the will of the Almighty. I'm not doing it all, and I make no excuses; in my heart, I yearn to be perfect. -- Douglas