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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, NOVEMBER 4, 1986
Jesus Christ is our example of lowliness and meekness. In I Peter
2:21-25 we read that there was no guile found in His mouth. When He was
reviled Be did not revile back. When he suffered He did not threaten.
Instead Be was patient, forgiving and merciful because He was love. He
was one with His Father, who is also love.
As
Paul continued in Ephesians
4:4-6, ·There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one
hope of your calling1 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one
God
and Father
of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.•
The Feast provides a wonderful family environment in the true
spiritual sense. It seems that God's people are inspired to forbear one
another in love more fully during the eig_ht days of spiritual instruction
and fellowship we are able to have at the Feast. But when the Feast comes
to an end we must make sure that same family environment continues in our
local congregations. Jesus told us in Matthew 19:29, •And every one that
hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or
wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an
hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.• This is a promise to be
fulfilled in the future when Jesus returns. But it is certainly true in
part even now. If we follow the admonition of Jesus and the apostles to
love one another as Be has loved us, we will have brothers, sisters,
titliei;-and mothers in the faith also in this life. I certainly felt the
impact of that scripture this year during� Feast here in Pasadena. I
was able to spend hours each day just meeting and fellowshipping with
God's people after services right here on the campus. I think I probably
met most everyone attending here. The pure joy of being a part of the
spiritual family
God
has called us to is immeasurably rewarding.
Teach the brethren in your local congregations these principles
continually, while setting the example yourself. Work with their problems
in patience, in godly lovingkindness. Avoid the •confrontation mentality•
that some carnally minded people in positions of authority tend to
display.
As
God teaches us, even by His own example, work with Bis flock
as a loving, caring, gentle, faithful, spiritually strong and patient
shepherd.
Pray for wisdom, for patience, for gentleness, for
understanding, for love and for the lead of the Holy Spirit. God's way is
for all teaching, preaching, counseling and even correction to be done in
love, carefully regarding the welfare and good of each individuiI
involved.
God's ministers are never to be like the gentile authorities
described by Jesus in Mark 10:42 who intimidate, back into corners or
force confrontations with people. Rather to be helpers of their joy CII
Corinthians 1:24), intreating them as fathers, mothers, brothers or
sisters CI Timothy 5:1-2). There is a time to •rebuke with all authority•
(Titus 2:15), even to •rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the
faith• (Titus 1:13), or actually to have to remove one from the fellowship
of the Church (Titus 3:10-111 I Corinthians 5:11-131 Romans 16:17-18).
But even this must be done IN LOVE AND MEEKNESS, prayerfully, for the
spiritual bene�and welfare of the individual.
In short, God's
ministers must be reflections Cn�t yet perfect, but growing) of the love
of�.
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