Scripture
Acts 6: 2-4 “So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. “We apostles should spend our time preaching and teaching the word of God not administering a food program, they said. Now look around among yourselves, brothers, and select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. We will put them in charge of this business. Then we can spend our time in prayer and preaching and teaching the Word.”
Observation
The Apostles had their priorities straight. They knew what was important and they stuck too it. They refused to be distracted. They refused to allow the urgent to get in the way of the important. They knew their priorities and they ruthlessly stuck with them.
Their main priority was preaching and teaching the word of God. They spent time in study and preparation. Then they taught the word as much and too as many as possible. They made teaching and preaching their main responsibility.
They also spent time in prayer. Time with God was most important. They had to know the God they were teaching about. They spent time with God and in His Word.
Application
This has to be my top responsibilities as well. I must make preaching and teaching my number one priority and my main responsibility. I have to be ruthless about it. I must carve out main time to study and for preparation. I cannot allow the urgent and the wants of the people to dictate and dominate my time. I must be disciplined in the word.
Prayer
Father, help me in this area. I am a pastor. I am a shepherd of sheep. The sheep need me. I must spend time with the sheep. I must develop leaders. I must help the hurting but according to this scripture, my priority is prayer and the word. The sheep need to be spiritually fed. That is more important than human needs or others can meet the human needs. I am called to preach. I am called to meet the spiritual needs. It is not a matter of importance but who is supposed to do what. Others in the church can meet the physical need. I am to pray, preach, and teach.
