By Rick Ciaramitaro
Greetings mighty champions of Heaven
This is the second part of Finishing Well and in this part are some practical helps that can be applied to our daily lives that will help us navigate through life’s storms to Finish Well my friends.
Beware of the disappointments that come your way and don’t park there when they do, beware of the hurts and painful situations that come our way that if allowed will turn into bitterness. Let me say it, it’s easier said than done especially when they are close to us like Demas was to Paul. But there is one more area that I want to share that I have noticed over the years that has taken many good men and woman out and they did not Finish Well and it is Pride.
The longer we are in ministry the easier it becomes to just do things, make quick decisions, and over time not seek the Lord on every matter. We become self sufficient and self satisfied and every thing in our ministry seems to be going pretty good, so we slowly and gradually become independent and don’t always seek the Lord. Jeremiah 10:21-The shepherds of my people have lost their senses. They no longer seek wisdom from the LORD. Therefore, they fail completely,and their flocks are scattered.
This is very sobering along with chapter 34 the Woe to the Shepherds paints a clear picture of 5 Fold Ministry not finishing well. I think the best example in scripture of Pride is King Saul, he started off in Mizpah which is a city in the “lowlands” of Judah meaning watchtower which means being on the lookout, looking attentively to what is coming. Saul started off in humility and even hid himself in the baggage when the prophet came to Mizpah. I don’t think he planned on getting into to Pride, but slowly, gradually, a little compromises here and there resulted in his downfall and he died on Mount Gilboa which means a swollen heap or enlarged by swelling and becoming puffed up. Saul started well but didn’t Finish Well. Read I Samuel chapter 10 and chapter 31 and see the start and the Finish.
As I close, here are a few safeguards to help you on the long haul to Finish Well. Number one always, always, always be teachable, open to correction, ever learning and live humbly before our God. Ask Holy Spirits help “Daily” to keep you on the path of life, ask HS help for Wisdom Daily, and seek the council of the Lord before just doing this or that and making major decisions. Guard from thinking your better, more gifted, more talented than others. Philippians 2:3-4-Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Place trusted 5Fold ministers in your life that will call you on your blind spots and encourage you. To Finish Well never let down on your faith, listen to the Word, Read the Word, feed your faith daily, stay on a healthy diet of faith, listen to faith filled podcast, there is a lot of fear and negativity out there, we need a steady diet of faith. Romans 1:17-This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith, As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” NLT. Lastly keep a servants heart, the Kingdom is not about us but Christ, serve the Lord, your wife, family, ministry with all your heart and by doing so your positioning yourself to Finish Well. Let’s all practice Pauls admonition- 2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Many Blessings and let’s Finish Well
Dr Rick Ciaramitaro