2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 states, “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” (NIV)

What do I need to remember if I am to continue on in the pastoral ministry? The answers are in this verse—that God provides love, encouragement, hope and strength. This verse describes gifts from God as a result of His grace to sinners who are His children through their relationship to Him in Jesus Christ. What a great grace we have available to us! But what is pastoral ministry in the context of this grace? How does sanctification by grace impact how I minister to God’s people? In providing an answer to this question, I must confess that I am learning what this means on a daily basis.  I am learning that the same grace that I preach is the same grace I need to stay strong as a pastor.  Praise God for teaching me how to live daily in dependence upon Him.  What about you?