Right Attitudes in Ministry (John Paul) | Weekly Mentoring Hour (20 August 2026)

Okay, good morning everyone and welcome to today's uh mentoring hour. As you all know, this is a weekly um time every Thursday at 8:00 a.m. India time where we have a gathering of students and faculty and um we're looking forward to getting this started uh for this academic u term for this semester. So um yeah, before we get started, can I just request any one of the students to quickly pray and then we'll get started. anyone to open in prayer please you just unmute your mic and pray and then we'll get started. Heavenly Father, thank you for this beautiful morning and for this this beautiful day as well as you allowed us to live in the living human being. Lord as we are going to uh enter into the mentoring class of this session first time uh Lord help us to understand whatever we are going to discuss we're going to listen from your holy word and open our heart and mind to receive all your your holy words in our heart also Lord bless each one of us especially for the students friends those who are who are participating in this uh uh mentoring our program bless them all also Lord uh praying for the speaker today who will be taking the mentoring our class please Lord help him and anoint him your holy spirit so that whatever he will he will deliver it will be much understanding very easy and to understand and receive all these words. Please Lord help him and anoint him your holy spirit. Thank you for listening this all these prayer. We ask all these prayers in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. >> Amen. Thank you so much um for praying. Um once again uh very warm welcome to all of you and um today's topic um for the mentoring hour is u right attitudes in ministry and we have pastor John Paul who will be sharing uh with us and after which we will open up for a time of questions from the students so you can ask questions and pastor John Paul and other faculty will answer so looking forward to it. So uh why don't we just welcome Mr. John Paul over to you. >> Okay. Um thank you so much everybody for joining this morning for our weekly mentoring hour. So today we will talk about um right attitudes in Christian ministry. Um so this is in fact a very vast topic. we'll uh try to cover a couple of important things and uh we can discuss quite a few after that as well and um I would also recommend some readings um which we can do uh this is just to set a framework and um we can discuss um right after this um talk as well. So um ministry as such when the lord is calling us he's calling us to be in a place of serving. So if you look at uh the word itself ministry um it denotes one who serves who wails on tables um who renders humble service to another. So that is the word the root word is diconia. Uh and from this word we get the modern day word deacon right uh we use this in some churches as well. Uh somebody who is leading. So it comes from a root word which means that somebody who serves and this is the preacher that the word the word gives us. So in Mark chapter 10 verse 43 when Jesus is talking about James and John and sitting upon close to Jesus and the throne and all of that he says in verse 43 but it shall be not so among you but whoever would be great among you must be your servant and whoever would first among you must be slave of all. For even the son of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. So this is how the lord demonstrated his leadership and serving people to be available for people. So that is the first thing. So uh in this session we are going to look into a couple of things we can learn from the life of Jesus and some teaching from apostle Paul through the word of God uh and some practical uh things as well. All of these are practical though. So the first thing that we got to remember is ministry itself is serving serving people with all our heart. Um and when it comes to the attitude towards u serving it is a servant attitude. In John chapter 13, the Lord Jesus says like this, "And if I then your Lord and teacher have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you." So this is the attitude that the Lord taught us. Servant attitude. The Lord Jesus who you know the diadem the royal diadem of the heaven when he came down he demonstrated the leadership by serving people washing their feet and this is how we serve what god has given to us. Sometimes god has given to us uh people different areas of ministry all of these we consider it as serving from an attitude of uh being a servant unto the lord. Uh the second thing that we can learn from the life of Jesus is uh to be humble. Uh Luke chapter 22 we read uh verse 26 and 27 we read but not so among you on the contrary who he is greater among greatest among you let him be as the younger and he who governs as he who serves for who is greater he who sits at table or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet so that is a natural way of looking at it. people who sits on table sits at the table are more prominent but the Lord Jesus says yet I am among you as the one who serves. So even when we have people around us we serve them with humbleness and about the humbleness of the Lord Jesus we read in Philippians chapter 2:5 who was in the form of God uh humbled himself came down to this world to die for each one of us at the cross. So that is the humbleness that we also demonstrate when we serve people uh whom God has given to us. Um we also see that the Lord Jesus ministered by showing a great amount of compassion towards people. Matthew 9:36 when he saw the multitudes uh he was moved with compassion for them. So when he saw people who were sick, who were um uh tired and who were in need, he was moved with compassion for them. Now if you also look at Matthew chapter 5 6 and 7 at that place you know he's giving the sermon of the mount and then he comes down from the mountain uh at that place itself he started serving people and again he sees that when he saw the multitudes he was moved with compassion because the reason is there because they were weary and scattered like sheep having no shepherd. Even when we also look around we we find people who are going through uh difficulty. Um so let the motivation be compassion for people and that is a great lesson that we can learn from our lord Jesus. And we also see that lord Jesus when he was ministering this was his attitude towards um the father. He was completely obedient to the father. So obedience to the father is another very important attitude that we got to have while serving. Um Jesus said in five m John chapter 5:30 I can of myself do nothing. As I hear I judge and my judgment is righteous because I do not seek my own will but the will of the father who sent me. I'm seeking the will of my father who sent me. So that is that shows the obedience to the father. He was always in relationship with the father. You know at times uh in ministry there are times we we listen to people. There are times we receive suggestions from people which is all good. Uh we got to listen to people. We got to listen to the suggestions uh of people. But at the same time always remember that our obedience should be to our father who have called us for ministry. He has found us faithful and he has called us for ministry. Um so every decision that we take even within ministry should be in relationship with our lord god and the obedience that we have towards um our father. Um and another very very important thing that we uh see from the life of Jesus is he gave importance to rest as well. I think many times um we neglect this part physical rest and even emotional rest as well. Mark 6:31 and he said to them this to the disciples come aside by yourself to a deserted place and rest a while for there were many coming and going and they did not even have time to eat. Um sometimes in the busyiness of the ministry uh doing a lot of things uh we don't have that time and especially in this case there were so many people and the disciples did not even have time to eat that's what the word says and Jesus you know having compassion towards them he said come aside and and take some rest take a take rest for a little while he himself practiced that he himself set aside time uh with the father and also he encouraged his disciples to take rest and this is something that we need to uh also remember. Um another very interesting uh thought about what the Lord Jesus demonstrated is he balanced the grace and truth. And when we look at John chapter 1:14 we see that you know uh apostle John mentions about about the ministry of Jesus. The word became flesh and dwelt among us. We beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth. So whenever he was ministering he extended a great amount of grace but at the same time he did not compromise on truth. Uh this is a very perfect balance that we got to remember. Sometimes in ministry there are u there are times we got to help people understand what they are doing. Sometimes we have to lovingly correct. Um even at those moments we we have to extend a lot of grace and at the same time um bring the truth aspect. Um if you look at the the the woman who was caught in adultery, she came to Jesus and at the time we see the amount of grace that the Lord Jesus demonstrated. Um you know he he told her that go and sin no more. So she was supposed to be stoned by everybody and they asked Jesus to cast the first stone but he extended grace there and he protected her from dying. At the same time he told her go and sin no more. So there is this perfect balance of grace and truth that we got to bring in uh the ministry the work that God has given to us to do. Um so grace and truth uh we have to show grace but at the same time we have to bring about um the truth aspect uh of it as well. So there are these are some lessons there are many more from the life of Jesus as well but for us to remember now when some lessons from the life of apostle Paul and the teachings right one of the main things apostle Paul taught was imitate you know in 1 Corinthians 11:1 we read imitate me just as I also imitate Christ. So uh we should as as people of God as you know most of us who are listening we are into ministry and we are some of us who are stepping into ministry. This is something that we have to remember for ourselves that we have to reach this place where we are imitating our Lord Jesus and be an example for others. And apostle Paul when he te writes his letter to Timothy. Now Timothy is a young pastor at the um church at Ephesus. He is telling him let no one despise your youth but be an example to the believers in word in conduct in love in spirit in faith in purity. Uh maybe you may be a very young minister but apostle Paul writes to Timothy saying that hey you should be an example. People should u learn from us. people when people are looking at us. Every time when we have a ministry we are involving we are surrounded by people are looking at us. Uh you know sometimes there are online ministries where uh we reach out to people through different media even then we are uh in a place where people are looking up unto us. uh and at that time we should come to a place of imitating our Lord Jesus and us being examples um for people. uh Apostle Paul during his ministry we also see that he encouraged or or he mentioned that he was the one um working with his own hands right and he mentions this in multiple places especially in uh Acts chapter 20 he says that you yourself know that these hands are provided for my necessities and for those who were with me so he worked very hard with um the skills that he had and he also provided for people and in 1 Corinthians 15:10 10 he says that I labored more abundantly than they all. Uh so he mentions that I I worked so hard even though I had the grace to do all of this by the grace of God I am what I am but at the same time I labored more abundantly than they all. So uh especially for people who are starting off with ministry, it is also important to have our own um source of income which is able to support the ministry and as in when the ministry grows and comes to a place where the ministry is able to take care of the expenses and all of it and know we can still focus on uh completely depending on ministry for uh serving full-time. But as a guideline or as a suggestion, uh we would always encourage to have our own source of income to manage um all the needs that we have. Um and Apostle Paul teaches us in 1 Thessalonians um 2:4-6, we see that every time we see we serve God, uh we serve with um pure motives, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our heart. But in this word we also see that as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. All of these words are very interesting isn't it? We have been approved by God. God has approved us and trusted us with this you know sharing the ministry that and serving people he has trusted. This is a great calling of God. So as we do this, we are not pleasing people or uh pleasing God is our first priority because God is the one who tests our heart. So we we got to have uh pure motives in our heart. Um so not for money, not for fame, not for any physical or uh worldly riches, but we serve God uh with pure motives. Apostle Paul also mentions in Philippians chapter 3:12 that uh we got to have a goal and he says that not that I have already attained it but I'm already perfected but I press on so that I may lay hold of what that for which Christ Jesus has also laid off for me. So we got to have a goal in ministry as well that okay this is what I want to do in the next couple of months. This is what I want to do in the next year in next three years this is what I want to do. Having a goal and pressing towards it is very important when it comes to ministry. If you don't have a goal, we'll be in in back to square one even after the uh one course of time. We will always find ourselves in the same place. But we got to set a goal and work towards it. Um for God what God has kept for us and God has called us to be in a place of building people especially in Ephesians chapter 4 and talks about the five-fold ministry. This five-fold ministry that the lord has given to the church is for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ. So as we do this we also find people who are uh you know potential leaders and we we make them as the next leaders. We impart into their lives and we can grow we can see the growth of the kingdom happening through their lives. We are ultimately building people uh for the kingdom of god. Um the sixth one from the life of Apostle Paul is accountability and self-examination. Um bringing our own um body into sub subjection. Um we we got to be accountable to ourselves, accountable to God, accountable to our mentors and it's also good to have you know self-examination, examine ourselves uh to see where we are uh in this ministry. Another very important uh thing I wanted to mention is uh we have a publication at APC called Cord of Honor. Uh if you have read this, it's wonderful. If you have not read this, I would highly recommend that we may read this uh all of us who have not read this, I would highly encourage you to read this. Um it talks a lot about uh the ministry uh aspect and a very practical way. uh always remember that our personal life our uh the secret place the time that we spend with God is the most important part in ministry. The ministry the public ministry that we do is an outflow of our personal time with God. The time that we spend with God. The father who sees you in secret will reward you openly. And the public ministry is the outflow, the expression of uh the time that we spend with God. And as we mentioned earlier, we got to guard our heart with all diligence. Meaning we have to strive at it to keep our heart because this is the place where everything in evolves. So guarding our heart is very important. And when it comes to family, there's a couple couple more things here. When it comes to family, um see most of us are into ministry at the same time. We also have a family to run. And let this be our equation uh where we have God as the first priority in our personal life. God as the first priority then comes the family then comes ministry. And pastor Ashish always mentions this uh the first ministry that we have is at our home. This is the place where we start our ministry. This is the place where we um excel. This is the first place where we have to invest a lot. our family um the the relationship that we have with our spouses, our children, they are very important. So our relationship with our spouse and our children, we got to uh nurture it uh give importance to uh taking care of them and also to push them to a place where God's purposes and plans that they have. Um we have our own call of God. We understand that. At the same time even with respect to our spouses we understand that God has a specific plan for their life and uh your wife shall be like a fruitful vine. So God has a separate plan for our spouses as well. So we should encourage them to find out what God has for them even with children as well. When it comes to handling people we um got to correct people in private at the same time upload them in public. It is a right practice to do that there are if there are issues that we have to address give feedback in private but at the same time if there is any appreciation that we have we can bring it uh outside and you know upload uh people in public um 1 Peter chapter 5 2 and 3 we read that don't lord over God's people like um to don't master over them uh but taking care of them as the sheep taking care of them as his people. The word says not as being lords over those who entrusted to you but being example to the flock uh even when we serve as overseers. And another thing we uh learn from God's word regarding handling people is be grateful for people. Uh 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 and 2 and also in Colossians chapter 1 I think verse three we also see that I give thanks to God always for you. So apostle Paul is saying I'm thanking God for you making mention of you in our prayers. remember people and be grateful for the people that God has given to us. Be it five people, be it seven people, be it 100 people, be it 5,000 people, grateful, be grateful for the people God has given to us. And in ministry, many times God, there are prayer requests which comes in um confidential prayer requests which comes in uh confidential matters which comes in. So things which needs to be confidential, let it stay as confidential itself. uh we have to be very careful with the information that we receive um and that we have to be careful in handling that so that people will continue to trust us and this is something that we have to uh remember and also one um thing just mention is being in ministry there are also chances that we get to have this um what do you say uh there's a fine line between helping people and and and controlling people. So do not ever try to manipulate impose our own ideas over people's life that we may remember that as apostle Paul said not that we have dominion over your faith but we consider you as fellow workers. Um so we do not manipulate we tell them what is right what is wrong always help them to make the choices and finally this is the last one um be ready to let go we also mentioned that we are investing in people's lives to help them grow in the lord and people go through different stages of life and the right attitude when it comes to building people up is at the right time when we see that they are on their own and if they want to pursue their own personal call of God which they have received from God um must be ready to let them go. In the case of Timothy, Apostle Paul nurtured him, but we also see that he is asking him to now be released from his own personal space and go to remain in Ephesus. That's what we read in 1 Timothy 1:3 as I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine. So, you got to be there. So we have to release people um even when we understand that they have grown from one stage to the another right. So these are some thoughts uh I know there are lot more to it and each point requires a lot of time to explain as well um but it's just for us to understand and um and I thank you for this time. Let's uh discuss some questions. >> Okay. Thank you so much uh professor John Paul. I think that was um quite uh exhaustive list um of right attitudes towards ministry and very interesting as well. Thank you so much. Um like we always do um for this mentoring hour and especially for those of you who are joining us for the first time, now we have uh a time for questions. You know, you can ask specific questions about what you heard just now about having the right attitude to ministry. If there's anything that is on your mind uh anything that you've observed and you want to ask that question you can do that and pastor John Paul and other faculty will also uh answer but if you apart from this also if you have any questions um you can ask um so on the topic or outside of it uh relating to spiritual matters you can definitely ask. So uh just open up this time for all of you. Uh you can go ahead unmute your mic and speak or you can put the questions in the chat and um us Paul will and other faculty will respond. Right. So yeah um this is the time for questions. Please go ahead. Okay, so we have a question here from DH. How can we keep our hearts right when ministry becomes difficult? When there are challenges, how can we keep our hearts right? Thank you for that question, Pastor. >> Yeah. Um, thank you DH for the question. Um, so I I hope when we mean that ministry becomes difficult is the challenges, the physical challenges that we may face sometimes even emotionally. uh it can be draining. Um so as we said uh in one of those points where our ministry is the expression or it's the outward seeing of what we have in the secret place with God. So how do we keep our hearts right is to go back to the secret place or to be in that secret place. You know we notice that very interesting verse in Psalms 91:1. He who dwells in the secret place of the most high. Not not somebody who visits. The word says he who dwells in the secret place of the most high. So I think that is the key of um keeping our hearts pure as well. And we read in I think Psalms 119 verse 10 or 11 we have hidden your words in my heart that I may not sin against you. So in that secret place, in that time where we spend uh most of our time with God, that place where we receive our strength from him, it helps us to protect our heart and in and as we read in Psalms 9, the the rich deposit of God's word, we continue to feed. So even during challenging times even during maybe maybe the challenge can be like you know somebody's um speaking something bad against us or um things can be can be anyway. So even when we go through all of this when we go back to God's presence that is the source of our strength. So secret place having a rich deposit of God's heart God's word in our heart protects us from um moving uh away and you know keeping our hearts right. said maybe one more point is to have a uh company have a godly friend friend circle especially in ministry sometimes what happens is we we don't have that part we don't have we are so focused on ministry but we don't have somebody to share uh it would be really good if you have somebody to share um like-minded pastors or uh leaders who maybe some of the guys who studied with you in Bible college um to to share what what you're going through which also helps us to keep our heart in a check and help us understand um any other um answers maybe other pastors can also please help um DH I hope that helped um if there's any follow-up question anything specific you know specific challenge you can also mention that yeah D says okay okay uh here's another question um if someone takes advantage ant of our humility and we realize that they are taking advantage of us. What would be the right thing to do? Someone takes advantage of our humility. >> Yeah. So the Bible teaches us that we um we need to be wise as uh serpents, innocent as doves, but at the same time uh wise as serpents. It means that we are we are humble. We are humble humbling ourselves before God. And when we have our words with people, we maintain that humility. But at the same time, we also need to be wise as um serpents. Meaning we have to be careful. Uh we also see that uh Apostle Paul mentions do not um let the enemy take advantage of us. So sometimes the the schemes of the enemy can come through people using some words uh all of it. But um we maintain that balance of being innocent um as doves at the same time being humble in our word in our conduct in the in in the way we handle things as well but at the same time we have to be wise and um learn to say no uh which I'm still learning [laughter] it's it's an ongoing process u it is it is okay to say no uh if if it if it is crosses the personal boundary capital crosses the family boundary uh any of that. So when when we understand that people are taking advantages of advantage of us, it is best to um you know discern that by the power of the Holy Spirit. You know we have the gift of the Holy Spirit of discernment. Discern that and also be wise in handling that. So one of those things is to say no put your foot up and say hey this is what I hold on to. This is what the value of word of God teaches me to be. So this is what it is and we are not allowing people uh to cross that limit in our personal boundary or in family or even in ministry as well. >> Thank you. Thank you John. >> Yes. Thank you. >> I think Lennon has a question. Uh you can go ahead and post it here or you can unmute and ask. >> Yeah. Good morning pastor. Good morning each and everyone. Yeah, this is regarding like you know the five-fold ministry particularly the ministry of prophecy. So how it works and uh yeah when your person gets a vision or word of God you know like prophecy word practically how it works. I just wanted to know pastor. >> Okay. Um thank you Lenn for that question. So um there are um in the gifts of the Holy Spirit we have uh gift of prophecy because that is part of the gifts of the Holy Spirit which uh holy spirit gives us and we have membership gifts which we study in Romans chapter 12 in there also we have gift of prophecy and as you mentioned in five-fold ministry that is a ministry office in Ephesians chapter 4 we read about this so that is a office of ministry Okay. Um, so we have a detailed study about this uh in the publication called gifts of the Holy Spirit and can refer to that APC publication. We have a detailed study on this. But just to help us understand prophecies basically God speaking through individuals, God's word coming through individuals. So sometimes God very specifically speaks on certain matters through people. Now one of the things that we learn from um God's word this is in 1 Corinthians chapter 14:3 I'll read it for us u the one who prophesies uh so I'm reading from ESV version uh the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation or in case it is written it brings edification exhortation and comfort. So when a word is being released um that brings edification, exhortation and comfort. So this is the basic idea of a prophetical word. And at the same time in 1 Thessalonians 5 we also see that um every prophecy or every prophetical word that has to be tested. Test every prophecy. So if a a prophetical word, prophetic ministry uh when it is being done, when we hear a prophetical word from someone, we got to check off all of this. Is it bringing edification? Is it glorifying Jesus? Is it according to the word of God? Um is it um bringing comfort to a person? And at the same time, we we are testing it with respect to the word of God. Is it helping us or not? Is that okay, brother Lennon? pastor let's say uh yeah individual gets a vision or prophetic word so practically what he supposed to do if for example in the old testament we read you know gods speak to the prophets and then they go and uh speak to the concern people or king all that so in current uh situation when a person gets the vision or prophetic word what he supposed to do for example when he says you know this is what the god says the practically what's happening Like you know people mock at them and even the two things like you know of course that is like when somebody tells us that is one thing but suppose if a person individually receives the prophetic word how to do that like you know what how to understand what god is trying to say and what is the hard roing that pastor >> yeah so when we are receiving a prophetical word um we most likely it is for a person for a for maybe a group of people as Well um we first of all we test ourselves with God. Is it is coming from the right motive or is it just an emotion or when we understand that is from God. Um we deliver it by faith. We mentioned that but at the same time uh as a guideline what we suggest and know we also find you know you can also read through gifts of the holy spirit publication. what we follow as a guideline is we don't say that um you know thus says the lord or this is from the word this is from god directly I just heard it you know such words but we um sense that sometimes it comes as a word sometimes it comes as a picture so we mention that to people saying that hey this is what I see this is what I hear this is what I sense in my spirit um and we subject that word for testing as well so we we release that word so basically when we hear um a word from God when we pray for a person or when we hear a word from God for a person we deliver it by faith. So we also have Yeah. Thank you pastor. We also have a publication called understanding the prophetic which is a detailed study on how we listen to God and how it is used as a ministry as well. So you can also refer to it. Okay. >> Okay. A few more questions have come. Uh one is from Prasad uh whose question is we are living in a society where most of the people are non-believers and having a negative attitude towards Christ um and Christians. So how can we develop a positive attitudes attitude uh uh I guess it's towards them know towards those who do not have a positive attitude about church or about uh Christ in general. >> Okay. Uh I'll just share my thoughts. Um so the word of God teaches us that let your light so shine among men. Um so as as you mentioned sometimes people may have a wrong attitude attitude towards Christians but the word teaches us that let our light so shine before men so that they may see uh the Lord God the the the the love of the Lord. So our life becomes an example. So we they may have a different approach to different people maybe other people whom they have seen but when they look at us this is what they should see. Each change in a society starts with one single individual. And you know there are many many occasions many instances I have personally seen as well where a a a community who is quite hostile towards Christians have changed with one person um with one person being um the light in that place right so it it starts with us brother it just starts with us and when we decide to uh when we become the light and when we continue to show the love of Jesus to that community uh it it may take some time but it will change that's my thought any other suggestions >> would there any other faculty um also want to add to this >> well the Bible also uh the Lord Jesus talks about how we can have love for one another and that love also glorifies you know it's a testimony pointing to God. So um so it all comes down to action. Well uh as believers we are you know as Christians in general we are actually they said that uh you know we talk but don't walk right but when we start walking the talk in a sense in our practical uh everyday lives when people see that we know that actions speak louder. So uh so that's what the word of God says that even if people actually uh you know accuse you as evildoers but by your good works uh they will you will put to silence your your good works speak louder. So when we uh practically work out what we believe uh it'll be a testimony and it'll speak louder and uh definitely uh even though they might speak um they'll know within that this person is genuine this person's means well um yes there will be a certain uh you know u persecution and that is uh to be expected um that will be there you know when people are vindictive that will be there. I hope this helps uh Dr. Prasad. Yeah, you can if you have any follow-up question, you can ask also. Okay. Um let's move on to another question. Um as a minister of God, how do we correct the person who's misbehaving in church? And this is a question from Akash. Um there's nothing specifically mentioned in what area, but then you know how do we correct? >> Yeah, thank you um Akash for that question. So a couple of things that the word teaches us in Matthew 18. Um we see from verse 15 onwards. If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. First step, you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. If he does not listen, second step, verse 16 says, take one or two others along with you. I'll just mention that verse. Matthew um 18 verse 15 onwards. Um so if he does not listen take one or two others along with you that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witness. So first one-on-one conversation and if it's not changing from that goes to the next um stage where uh you take two people along with you and then verse 17 if he refused to listen to them tell it to the church. So that's the third step. Tell it to the church or maybe some elders in the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church let him be to you as gentile and tax collector. This is what the Lord Jesus mentioned and we call it as we can call it as Matthew 18 principle that is one way of looking at it and we also look at um Galatians chapter 6 uh we we see that how do we restore a person now if a person has sinned and um moved away from the word the word says I'll read it for us Galatians 6:1 brothers if anyone is caught in any transgression you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Uh very carefully we speak to them and uh um especially if it is a minister. There is another thing that we see in 2 Timothy chapter 4 um second 2 second 2 Timothy chapter 4 um verse 2 we read um be ready in season and out of season reprove rebuke and exhort with complete patience and teaching. Um so when when we um especially when when k comes to helping people who are ministering um we we use little more strong ways of uh dealing it but at the same time with a lot of patience with a lot of love uh we also see that in I think in Ephesians chapter 4 we see that speak the truth in love so we have to correct but in a very gentle way. Now if it is a something regarding giving feedback to a person uh something is not according to the standards which we have giving feedback to that person is also we can follow what we can we can mention as revelation principle where the lord Jesus communicates this to all the churches at Asia Minor. He tells them the good they have done. He corrects them and he finishes by you know one more exhortation right. So uh that is also a way of uh helping people to do this. I hope this helps this anything specific area of correction uh please let us know. >> Okay. Uh uh we'll just move on and if there's any followup we can always uh put it here. Um so we have a question here. Um when we have great willingness to serve God and want to be useful vessel to God in ministry any role but health always becomes a concern pulls you down weighs you down. How do we overcome this challenge and move forward? This is from Lily Abraham. >> Yeah pastor please help. >> Um yeah other pastors can also chip in but I'll just share that um yes um I know that this is a very real thing. our spirit is willing but when it comes to you know things of the flesh uh things of the flesh I mean just you know physical bad health um you know maybe it's in a different season of life maybe are slightly senior and then this things nagging and keeping us down well uh the first thing is that uh god understands the season we are in you know so uh god uh gives us the grace god understands so don't put yourself down and don't beat yourself you know that's what we do Sometimes when we are you know comparing ourselves to how we used to be and uh in a different season altogether and then you know we we become we are guilty we we condemn ourselves. the the the Lord is not doing that, right? The Lord understands. Um as as far as possible, you know, if we need to do something better, we need to make some changes to the way we are living. Maybe in our diet, maybe it is exercise, maybe it is something that we can do. We can always do that. Uh always some practical things of course um you know have a regular medical checkup and uh you know uh see what can be done. uh of course first and foremost we go to the lord and and seek healing like ask him and ask him for wisdom lord what should I do differently in terms of diet and everything or uh and also definitely stand in faith for healing right and as we are going through this maybe we are not able to move about you know let's say for example you know we not able to move about much what can we do you know till we get better till we are able to completely come out of this you know what can we do in this season um is can we pray for others? Can we you know maybe call up and encourage another person maybe you know there are several things that we can do um while we are going through this and uh that is also something for us to consider and um yeah and uh and move ahead and definitely just want to encourage that yes it it God understands and God gives us the grace even in that right um I hope that helps if you have anything further specific you can always put it down in the chat. Okay. Um we move on to the next question uh which is uh based on 2 Timothy 1 verse six where Paul is uh you know stirring or asking Timothy to stir up the gift not to neglect the gift. Um if someone tells us not to use the gift which God has given us what should we do? I'm assuming it's coming from maybe a special leader or someone you know uh special authority. If someone tells us not to use the gift God has given us, what should we do? Um pastor. >> Yeah. Um I think the first thing to do is to understand why this has come like uh why the gift not to be used is said by the other person. If it is because of the way we handled it earlier or the way we conducted it earlier. If it is some suggestion that they have to work on ourselves then uh we take the feedback in the right way work on those areas. But if it is on the other side there is uh know the certain way of thinking or the way we understand scriptures are different um I think we should uh prayerfully consider about uh opportunities or um the way God is leading us to um use anyway this is God's kingdom God's gift which has been given to us and we got to use it so we should see first of all why it is said like that and if you understand it is not because of any particular reason then I think we should find a way to uh use it maybe in maybe in a different circle or wherever God has called us to be. That is my thought. >> Thank you John. Yeah. So um Paul does uh write in 1 Corinthians 12 13:14 about the gifts and he says you know we need to be zealous and the reason to be zealous uh to pursue spiritual gifts is so that we might walk in them. So definitely that part is uh for sure but also we see in the same very same passages Paul says hey this is the right way to use the gifts. So we can be zealous and in our zeal maybe sometimes we have some blind spots in the sense we are ministering in a way that we're not supposed to you know in our zeal um we might be sincere we might be zealous but we are in a in our ministering you know when we minister with zeal but without wisdom then we cause a lot of hurts and uh because it's not in line with the word of god right so so that's the thing so it's it's good to find out if this person is saying you know why know um sometimes We we get hurt. How can this person say and then we get upset and we don't really ask sit down and talk to the person? You know, I know you said this, but why do you say this? And it it'll be helpful for us to ask that question why that person says and to really uh you know, take it to the Lord in prayer. You know, Lord, whatever changes I need to make in the way I use the gift, in the way I minister, just u show me from the word, show me from other people. Maybe I let me learn and use it well. Right, that would be helpful. Okay, maybe we have time for um one more question. Uh how do we stir up spiritual gifts to stir up the gift of God? Uh any practical tips? >> Yeah, I think very quickly one u the main thing is to uh cultivate the relationship with the Lord Jesus. In John chapter 15 we see that he abides in me bears much fruit. So the fruit comes out or the gifts being stirred up is first place to be is to abide with the lord to have a very constant relationship with the lord Jesus. And the second thing is you know Jude chapter 1 verse 20 we see that build yourself up in the most holy faith. Um build yourself up in the most holy faith by praying in the spirit. So spend more time praying in the spirit. We are allowing the work of Holy Spirit to happen inside of us. Um there is two simple ways to start stirring up and take action by take a step of faith and start doing it. Starting to do is also another way to stir up the gifts. >> Okay. Thank you. So uh one last question about restoration. How do we restore a person who was a believer before but now does not believe? What should we do? Do we need continue to pursue to convince or should we just leave a person to have a divine encounter with God? What is the best practical? >> Pastor you and surprise please. >> Uh okay. Um uh just one line is uh of course we have prayed and we've done that. We have committed the person to God. Uh the thing is to continue to uh be in touch, right? Continue to share life to life. um it's difficult but to share life share the testimony share the goodness of God and continue to be there um and continue to associate in all other aspects right and uh you know the if the first person is so steadfast in their unbelief then definitely god will work right and uh look for those opportunities where the person can ask a question and we can respond right so we'll stop here I think there is one more question which is again on the attitudes um But we'll stop here for lack of time. Um let's pray and close. Right. Father, we thank you for this uh mentoring hour. We thank you for the questions. We thank you for the responses. Lord, we pray that uh that you'll continue to speak to us and uh whatever we have discussed and learned. Let it uh remain with us. Lord, enable us to uh walk this out. And I pray that we'd walk in wisdom and have the right attitude to minister, to serve, Lord, so that you are glorified and people are edified. We commit this uh day. We commit the classes. We pray that you'll continue to equip us and empower us. We thank you in Jesus name we pray. Amen. Thank you. Thanks, Pastor John. And thank you once again, everyone, for your questions. [clears throat] Uh we'll meet again next Thursday, 8 a.m. God bless. >> Thank you, sir.