1. Look after your own soul. Notice where the priority lies. "Take heed to yourselves", comes first. The study or closet is a vital place. It must not be a mere sermon factory. It is a meeting place with God. True religion is not a matter of tradition, ritual or good works, but a personal relationship with God. Pour out your heart to Him in prayer. Listen as He speaks to you through His Word. Come from your study with your heart full and your face shining. You are a man sent from God.
2. "Feed the flock of God". There are many starving sheep around today. The husks of man's ideas will not feed them. They need the "bread of life" (Jn.6:35). And what is this? Essentially it is Christ Himself. Reading the biographies of ministers one is often struck by the fact that in their old age many regret that they did not preach Christ more. May all our sermons be Christ-centred and then our sheep will starve no longer!
3. Be constantly an evangelist. Paul taught "publicly and from house to house" calling for "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:20-21). The masses are perishing. We have the Word of Life that can save their souls. Use every opportunity to make the gospel known and call men and women to Christ. Always preach evangelistically. Evangelise as you visit and, indeed, whenever you meet people. Our Church desperately needs evangelists whose hearts are breaking with loving compassion for the lost and whose tongues are never silent commending our great and gracious Saviour.