ELDERS ARISE

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1 Peter 5:1-3

And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you:

Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.

Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.


The care the elders of old had for the younger believers in the church birthed the vibrant and powerful spiritual moves that we had in the early centuries. Faith gatherings sprung up with many really dedicated to the Lord, as the bible recorded:


Acts 19:20

So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.


This continued for a while before the world political system interfered and intercepted the spiritual church to make it carnal with the introduction of other strange secular practices and forms of paganism. Yes it was a great dark period, but as we know God yet works His purpose no matter the plot of men or the enemy.


Revival came again when men arose to question the strange doctrines, this led to another form of liberation, though ofcourse people paid with their blood. People paid the price to ensure that the word of God was accessible to all, thus faith arose again.


The role of the elders never ceased to be important in the development of the younger believers. Check out all who did exploits for the Lord in the more recent centuries, they were product of good leadership. Most of those who taught and mentored then directly or indirectly may not have been popular or widely known, yet their impact is what made most of those names we know as popular today, what they are.


Listen, the persecutions believers face today would have been minimal if we from old times have taken the mandate seriously:


Matthew 28:19-20

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”


The gospel is for all nations. Listen those who ought to have been wiped out by the children of Israel but they relented to do so because of sentimentality became a big thorn in their flesh. Same way those we ought to reach out to and we relented could/and some have become a thorn in our flesh.


Look into our homes, those young ones we refused to chastise, those ones we over-pampered, we did not allow them to do rigorous chores, be accountable and teach them to respect others. They grow to become a big thorn on our flesh. For the serpent is easily killed while it is a larvae, the grown snake becomes a terror.


So the community, society, state and country we see today is the product of what the elders have or have not done at the appropriate times. Do humans ever learn?


The love of money, self and power is the reason for disaster of many leaderships. See what Peter said in our opening verses:


"Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.

Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example"

I always said this,no man was created to dominate another. Selah


Do elders ever get to read and digest this verse?


The same way the legacy of good elders live after them, the evil result of bad elders yet live after them.


Those elders who did a good work many years ago are still living now, because their work is still bearing fruits in the lives of those living on earth today, and the multiplier effect will continue to count to their eternal reward till the earth is destroyed. 

The same way the evil seed elders have sown will keep reading negative to them till the end.


So be careful:


1 Corinthians 3:10

Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.


Elders! ARE YOU AWAKE?


We must be careful how we build, how we live and how we lead.


May we be good elders leading others aright.


We who are yet young in the faith, may we also grow to become good elders.


So help us Good Lord.


He calls us blessed.


Love

@the watcher

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