Shepherding: Teaching with a Burden

All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, That the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, RecVer)

Whom we announce, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man full-grown in Christ; For which also I labor, struggling according to His operation which operates in me in power. For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those in Laodicea, even all who have not seen my face in the flesh, (Colossians 1:28-2:1, RecVer)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16, RecVer)

The word of Christ is good for teaching and admonishing in order to make the man of God complete and equip for every good work. For this very reason, the Lord gave me a strong burden to spend time with my own children first and also with a group of young people and college students. 

No one is born perfect. So, all need to be taught. In every walk of life, there is a need for teaching. Be it secular, academic, societal, or even in spiritual matters, all need to be taught. Teaching of various kinds are being carried out at homes, schools, churches, and in almost every field. So much more for the saints in the churches and my own children.

The Lord Jesus taught His deciples many times in many places. Paul too carried out his apostolic ministry mostly by teaching even to the extend that he had to stay for a period of time in certain places for teaching with the Lord confirming him to speak and not be silent. He was faithful in teaching publicly and also from house to house. All these were and are for the perfecting of the saints in carrying out Chirst's heavenly ministry today.

And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; (Acts 18:9, RecVer)

And he remained there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. (Acts 18:11, RecVer)

How I did not withhold any of those things that are profitable by not declaring them to you and by not teaching you publicly and from house to house, (Acts 20:20, RecVer)

In like manner, the Lord gave me the burden to spend time with my own children as I came back from a two weeks long ministry journey. As I noticed certain things not in place, especially concerning my son and the situation at home in my absence, I taught my own family members first; admonishing them with love, and prayed with them and for them. This, I did last night as I just arrived home.

Today afternoon, the Lord gave me the burden for young brothers. So I gathered them after the afternoon PSRP session for a time of brotherly fellowship. As I sat face to face with them, my heart was full of burden. The Lord gave many precious materials to labor upon. I must be faithful to the Lord’s commission of shepherding the saints. One way of shepherding is by teaching; teaching the word of God and also teaching the ways of God. The word of God experienced in my life and the ways how God led me, which are also according to the Scriptures, I taught the brothers. It was a precious time of face to face, and heart to heart teaching. 

The burden thr Lord gave me was to establish them in the basic matters of their Christian life. Their daily morning revival, their daily prayer life, and their daily reading od the word of God. With my own testimonies, I taught the brothers from my heart with full of burden to perfect them. Though I told them initially that I will not take much time, but as we started fellowshipping, I simply followed the Lord’s anointing within me and taught them in detail and at length. And they all received it with open heart.

Besides, there were two other young brothers who could not join the afternoon fellowship, but I told both of them that I would spend time, if possible, at least once in a week, with them too. I also opened myself to them and gave them free access to me should they desire to open up their situation with the assurance that I will confide the matters of fellowship to myself only. Because I know that all have been going through situations of various nature. Each individual has to be dealt with according to his need. 

I believe this burden is from the Lord. I pray that the Lord will continue to grace me to faithfully carry out this burden as long as He permits. 

Lord, preserve all these young brothers; precious souls to become precious materials for Your building.