226
Pastoral Ministry
Limitations
Counselors should not be mind and judgment for others—
Instead of acting as a wise counselor, he assumes the prerogatives
of an exacting ruler. God is dishonored by every such display of au-
thority and self-exaltation. No man standing in his own strength is
ever to be mind and judgment for another man whom the Lord is using
in His work.—
Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 491
.
Ministers may give counsel but seek wisdom from God—In the
place of bearing your perplexities to a brother or a minister, take them
to the Lord in prayer. Do not place the minister where God should
be. The minister of Christ is like other men. True, he bears sacred
responsibilities, but he is not infallible. He is compassed with infirmity,
and needs grace and divine enlightenment. He needs the heavenly
unction, in order to do his work with success. Those who know how to
pray, who know what are the invitations of the gospel of Christ, show
dishonor to God when they lay their burdens upon finite men. It is
always right to counsel together; it is right to converse together; it is
right to make the difficulties that present themselves in any enterprise
plain before your brethren and your ministers. But do not depend upon
man for wisdom. Seek God for the wisdom that comes from above.
Ask your fellow laborers to pray with you; and the Lord will fulfill His
Word, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there
am I in the midst.”—
The Youth’s Instructor, February 15, 1900
.
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Members should not expect their minister to replace Christ as
their guide and counselor—Many look to their ministers to bring the
light from God to them, seeming to think this a cheaper way than
to be to the trouble of going to God for it themselves. Such lose
much. If they would daily follow Christ and make Him their guide and
counselor, they might obtain a clear knowledge of His will, and thus
be gaining a valuable experience. For want of this very experience,
brethren professing the truth walk in the sparks of others’ kindling;
they are unacquainted with the Spirit of God and have not a knowledge
of His will, and are therefore easily moved from their faith. They are
unstable, because they trusted in others to obtain an experience for
them. Ample provisions have been made for every son and daughter
of Adam to obtain individually a knowledge of the divine will, to
perfect Christian character, and to be purified through the truth. God is