OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - THURSDAY - 03/10/2013 - AVOID BURN OUTS BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

AVOID BURN OUTS

MEMORY VERSE

And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

 Mark 6:31

READ

Mark 6:30-31

Mark 6:30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.

Mark 6:31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

MESSAGE

If you look at the story of ten virgins recorded in Matthew 25:1-13, you will find out that in the beginning, all their lamps were burning. However at some point, some ran out of oil. God generally created things to be refillable. Plants generally draw on the soil to derive nutrients on a regular basis. Animals such as goat and sheep regularly feed on grass and water to survive. Some time ago, while discussing on animals with my wife, we realise and concluded that animals that feed on grass keep on multiplying whereas those who prey on fellow animals like themselves are fast becoming extinct. If you survive by destroying others, you will soon be extinct. We also discovered that normally, people eat two or three times daily, unless they are fasting.

Ministers of God must learn to refuel. After Jesus Christ performed some special miracles in Matthew 14:15-23, He found a secret place to refuel. Unfortunately, many of us think we do not need to recharge. No, we do! Some of my colleagues keep asking me why I keep fasting. Believing I have enough, they also ask, “What do you want again?” It is dangerous to keep working for God without recharging. It will lead to burn out. In Mark 6:30-31, when the disciples returned excited, the Lord simply told them to step aside and rest for a while. Some ministers don’t attend our Solemn Assembly programme because they think it is a waste of time. They would ask why they should come and sit down for four days when souls are perishing. Of what use are your efforts if you do not make it to Heaven? If you are fagged out, then it will be easy and even easy to fornicate, steal or patronise the flesh. An African proverb says: “When a big problem knocks you down, the small ones will climb over you.” Those who experience a burn out are not far from sinning.

KEY POINT

If you are too busy to rest and recharge, be prepared to crash and be spent. One is obviously cheaper than the other.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Genesis 37-39