Saturday, June 25, 2011

APPOINTED PART THREE

My husband and I were called to full time ministry almost six years before we actually made that step and became obedient to what God wanted us to do. I am not proud of that fact. Actually it causes me shame to know that I wasted six years that we could have been carrying out God’s will. But when we finally did make that decision, we knew that we were in God’s will. One morning before we left, while I was doing my devotions, God gave me a Scripture as His promise to me. It got me through the next four years while my husband was in Bible college and it has held me in good stead ever since. Let me share it with you today just in case there is someone here who is afraid to launch out and do what God has asked them to do. 

Isaiah 43: 1-3:
  But now so says Jehovah who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel; Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; nor shall the flame kindle on you.  For I am Jehovah your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour

I know from experience that when God appoints us to carry out a work for Him, He will prepare us. He will give us the knowledge we will need to have and the ability to do it. There is a quote that says, “God does not call the equipped, He equips the called.” Sometimes we may not understand why we have to endure trials and adversity but while we are going through these times if we would remind ourselves that God brings all things about for our good and that He is preparing us for His work, it does help make those times more bearable.

Let me take a few minutes to talk about those who ignore God’s calling. Yes, there are those who do... I did for six years. Let me tell you that for those six years I worked harder than I have ever worked for the Lord. I thought that as long as I kept busy for the Lord, doing His work that He would be pleased with my efforts and He would be satisfied. I thought that He would give up on wanting me to sell our home and leave family and country behind and go into full time ministry. But, according to Romans 11:29 and Hebrews 7:21, God doesn’t repent of His calling. He doesn’t give up on us.

I was busy doing good things. I was busy doing everything except what God wanted me to do. I had to face the fact that I was disobedient. When you don’t do what God tells you to do you are disobedient.  We read in Samuel that God considers ‘obedience... to be... better than sacrifice’. I was sacrificing my time and my talents for the Lord but I was not being obedient. I wasn’t doing what He wanted me to do.

Mark 16:15-18  And He said to them, Go into all the world, proclaim the gospel to all the creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned. And miraculous signs will follow to those believing these things: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will be well.

God is quite clear with what He wants us to do. One of my friends recently told me that she is going to have “read the Word” carved on my tombstone. She meant that as a compliment and I took it as such. I have made it my mission to encourage God’s children to read His love letter and instruction Book for them. The answers are in there! They are there for you to find. Time is short and we don’t have time to sit on our behinds and be served. We need to be working for the Lord.

You will know when you are doing what God wants you to do. You will have a peace in your soul knowing that you are where God wants you to be. For the past five years we have been pastoring a church of approx. 80-100 people on an island off the coast of Nova Scotia. I know beyond a shadow of doubt that we are where God wants us to be. I know that we are in His perfect will. That doesn’t mean that everything is always easy but it is all for His purpose and His glory.

Satan will try anything he can to get you to walk away from what God wants you to do. He will keep you busy doing good things. He will keep you discouraged thinking you shouldn’t even try to do what God is asking of you because it will be just too hard. He’ll tell you lies like it is up to the pastor to lead people to the Lord and that you don’t have to ‘work’ for God because ‘well, that’s what the pastor is for’. He will try anything to keep you from accepting your appointing, what God is asking you to do. He will throw anything he can your way to get you to get out of God’s will for your life. But if you will stick to it; if you will refuse to walk out of God’s will, great things will happen for His glory.

Matthew 24:13 tells us that if we stand firm until the end we will be saved. And 1 Corinthians 15:58 says “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” We are to stand firm. And most importantly we are to give ourselves FULLY to the work of the Lord.

 We can’t let anything get in the way of doing God’s will. There is always something to do for the Lord and sadly many pastors are laboring without any help. A pastor needs help. He or she needs your help! Get involved.

Jesus, Himself, knew this would be a problem for pastors down through the ages. I believe that is why He said in Luke 10:2 "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” I repeat, what has God asked you to do? Are you doing all that you can do for the Lord and His kingdom? Will He say of you “well done thou good and faithful servant”?

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