READ: John 15:4-8
“Abide inme,andIinyou. As the branch cannot bear fruitof itself,except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” – John 15:4
I remember the pastor of a five thousand-member church who had two powerful associates. These associate ministers forgot how their destinies changed by associating their senior pastor. One day, their senior pastor, sensing the mounting rebellion transferred these two associates away from him. A few months later, they both left the ministry and broke any association with their senior pastor.
Years went by and I watched how their lives evolved. The senior pastor continued to go from strength to strength and his ministry became the largest in the city. Sadly, though, the associates worsened. One of them tried to start a church, but could not get more than five members to join. His church never grew out of the living room of his home. The other became a pastor of another church, but was dismissed soon after for bad behaviour.
Both of these associates continued to struggle for years moving from one job to another and never amounting to anything. I realized that these associates had moved out of their place and had not recognized how God had blessed them through a particular vessel. Of course, it takes humility to remember this truth.
Do not be afraid of acknowledging that even though God’s hand has been strong upon your life it has been through certain vessels.