The Altar Worker

1 Corinthians 9:13… “and they which wait [minister] at the altar” (KJV). There is a ministry at the altar. The altar most often is between the front pew and the pulpit. However, when people are ready to accept Jesus, the altar could be anywhere. If there is someone needing spiritual help, the altar could be right there… in the home, on the street, in the car, etc. Peter teaches, “And be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). When people come to the altar, you are to be ready. People are asking from their spirit, crying out to God. Often they stand weeping because of hurts that only God knows about. A prepared tool can do a better job than a makeshift tool.

At the altar there are deep questions, such as, “Why am I here?” “Why must I be born again?” “What must I do to be saved?” “What’s happening to me; why am I crying?” “Is there help for me? I hurt so much!” You are there, ministering to these hurting and troubled people. Minister life and not death. Don’t choke them with too much Bible; they are not there for a sermon, but for prayer and guidance. Keep in mind their hearts are filled with fear. Minister peace. Don’t present a bad image of the preacher or the church. (Years ago in our church a man came up to be saved and the altar worker from another church came forward when a call for believers to come and stand with those who came forward was given. He said to the man wanting to be saved, “Don’t get saved here; come to our church.”) Not everyone that comes to minister at the altar has a pure motive.

Those ministering at the altar should never get into arguments with the seeker. Talk simply and positively. Talk faith, not doctrine. Lift up through encouragement. Don’t add your depression to theirs. Each heart is different. God looks at the heart and that’s where we are to look. Have compassion. Often those who minister at the altar get stuck on outward appearance (although outward appearance can show you a lot). At the altar, know the basic Scriptures, especially on salvation and healing. Every altar worker should have a “key” starting Scripture, either memorized or marked in the Bible. An altar worker must also be anointed and led by the Spirit, especially when backsliders come forward for restoration. One of their questions may be, “Will God take me back?” “Does God want me back?” “Will the church accept me back?” (Remember the elder brother in Luke 15.) Psalm 51:1-12 teaches that the messenger must be clean. “Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee” (v. 13). Ministry at the altar is so important in these days of renewal and restoration. Get involved–you are needed.

Pastor George Belobaba

Copyright © 2011 by Scripture Nuggets Ministries
All rights reserved

Kingdom Of God, Pt. 12

(Part 12 of 12)

KINGDOM PARABLES… The gospel of Matthew records twelve parables of the kingdom that show what the kingdom of God is like. Twelve is the number that denotes divine government. The twelve parables are as follows:

Matthew 13:1-30,36-43… The parable of the sower and the seed… The emphasis is on hearing the word. Three of the four men who heard the word did not bear fruit. That’s 75%. Kingdom saints ought to give heed to what the Spirit is saying.

Matthew 13:24-30… The parable of the wheat and the tares (included in with the sower and the seed parable)… Jesus planted good seed, but the devil came and sowed tares because men slept and did not watch. Kingdom saints are to be alert and watchful.

Matthew 13:31-32… The parable of the grain of mustard seed… This speaks of growing faith and expanding faith. Small faith can grow. The nature of faith is that it grows. God has given to every person a measure of faith. Kingdom saints must grow in faith.

Matthew 13:33-35… The parable of the leaven… Leaven shows us a principle of truth that can be used in a good sense or a bad sense. In a good sense, when “leaven” (grace) is put into our lives, it will absorb into our spirit, soul, and body and make our life fruitful. Leaven is also pictured as sin. When sin is mixed in our spiritual experience it will eventually spoil it. Kingdom saints must plant good things into their lives.

Matthew 13:44… The parable of the hidden treasure… This parable teaches the importance of opportunity. To receive good things one must sacrifice, then take action and the possession. Kingdom saints must not be afraid to sacrifice when there are hidden treasures in the world.

Matthew 13:45-46… The parable of the pearl of great price… Here again we see opportunity plus investment. Jesus is the pearl of great price. People should make every effort to seek Him and find Him. Investing in the kingdom of God is a good thing. Kingdom saints invest in the kingdom of God and in His purposes and works.

Matthew 13:47-50… The parable of the net cast into the sea… The sea speaks of all humanity, all ethnic people groups. Casting the net speaks of the great harvest. Kingdom saints are harvest-minded. The Scripture says, “[they] gathered of every kind” (v. 47, KJV). The harvest was separated into good and bad. At the end of this age angels come and do the separating. Eternal destiny is involved.

Matthew 13:51-53… The parable of the householder… This parable is talking about the scribes, the leadership who minister the word. They will bring out of their treasures both old and new. In other words, they are creative. The scribe does not cast off the Old Testament. He brings into it the freshness of the New Testament. Peter on the day of Pentecost illustrated this. In describing the Holy Spirit’s coming, he referred to the book of Joel and then brought it up to date and united it with what was happening then. Kingdom saints embrace both the Old and New Testaments. Irenaeus, who became a great church leader, writes that the old and new treasures represent the Old and New Testaments.  The parables were addressed to the Jews, and Jesus was reminding them that while embracing the Old, they were not to cast off the New.

Matthew 18:23-35… The parable of the king taking an account of his servants… Forgiveness is the issue. When you forgive a person who wronged you, you release that person from a debt and you forget about it. Having a spirit of mercy and compassion works together with forgiveness. Here the one who received mercy did not have a change in his heart. When someone in debt to him was unable to pay what he owed, he took him by the throat and was ready to cast him into prison. The king heard about it and the unmerciful one was delivered to the tormenters. Jesus made this statement… “So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses” (v. 35, KJV). Kingdom saints are people who forgive others for the hurts done against them.

Matthew 20:1-16… The parable of the laborers… In the kingdom there is work for everybody. Kingdom saints are not idle, nor are they slothful.

Matthew 22:1-14… The parable of the marriage feast… The king sent out an invitation to come, but the invitation was made light of. The invitation then went to those on the highways and by-ways, and the wedding reception was full. Someone had crashed the reception without a wedding garment. The wedding garment was the white linen garment of righteousness. He was bound and cast out into outer darkness. Kingdom saints accept Christ’s invitations to come to the marriage feast, and they come with garments of righteousness. The marriage feast is an end-time event. The bride of Christ is involved.

Matthew 25:1-13… The parable of the ten virgins… It teaches about having “oil” in our lives. Jesus is returning. This parable talks about preparation. Kingdom saints are prepared saints. There are both wise and foolish Christians. Israel with all their knowledge missed the coming of the Messiah. Will half the Christians fail to recognize the second coming of Jesus?

Matthew 25:14-30… The parable of the talents… This parable teaches about the talents that God gives to His people. Five, two, and one. We are not to hide them. Two of the people expanded on their talents and used them and brought increase.  One hid his talent for fear. Jesus said in verse 29, “For unto everyone that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away that which he hath” (KJV). Jesus proceeds and talks how people used their talents and how some did not. One receives a “well done”; another received outer darkness. Kingdom saints are talented and use their talents to bring increase into their lives and into the treasury of the kingdom of God.

Pastor George Belobaba

Copyright © 2011 by Scripture Nuggets Ministries
All rights reserved

Crisis Or Oppportunity

Psalm 99:8… “Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions” (KJV). As the song of Moses, Psalm 99 is supposed to represent Israel’s toughest year. Prophetic messages are God’s way to warn us and alert us about things to come. There is a lot of fear in the land about the darkness that is coming. Saints, that darkness cannot not hide God’s light, nor will it put that light out (John 1:5). Prophets keep us well-informed, but we should never let their prophecies overtake our lives to the point that we let them put us under the bondage of fear. The devil would love that to happen. He will get you to doubt God’s Word in order to drive you to fear so that you will be obsessed with the dangers of our times. Many Christians are addicted to the feeling of fear. Fear dominates their thinking. Paul exhorts us in Philippians 4:6-8 as to what is supposed to dominate our thinking (whatever is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy). What is dominating your thoughts and is causing you to lose your peace? What is consuming your time with worry?

When Isaiah and Jeremiah alerted the people about hard times, they didn’t wait around watching for hard times to happen–they talked about God’s glory and mercy and loving-kindness (Isaiah 25:8-9, Jeremiah 30:17-22). Haggai 2:5 reads, “This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear” (NIV; see also vv. 6-9). What a great promise. When you were born again, God’s Spirit was there and remains with you today. Instead of fearing, trust God, who gave you salvation and eternal life. When Jesus saw the concern of God’s people about food, shelter, and clothing, He said in Matthew 6:8, “Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him” (KJV). Note the words, “Your Father knoweth” (see also Matthew 6:32, Luke 12:30). Confess this promise out loud every day. When Jesus said, “Take no thought,” He was saying, “Don’t lose your focus.” Seek the Kingdom of God, and you will receive more than you need (Luke 12:31-32). “[Crave the Lord] as your soul’s first necessity” (2 Chronicles 15:2, AMP).

We can make any problem into a crisis that causes us to fear, or we can make it an opportunity to use our faith to reach out and touch lives with the gospel. Are you laying aside extra food? Then lay aside a little extra to help others. Develop resilience. Resilience means the ability to get through a crisis, to thrive after a trauma, and to get over trials and tribulations. Resilience may very well be the skill needed for the problem. Changes are everywhere. The Holy Spirit can give you the skills and wisdom to thrive in the face of stress. Resilience means we can be challenged and not break down. Solomon tells us that righteous people get up after they have been knocked down (Proverbs 24:16). Daniel 2:22 makes a good point: “He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with Him” (KJV). This is the positive mentality we should have.

Pastor George Belobaba

Copyright © 2011 by Scripture Nuggets Ministries
All rights reserved