Friday, January 22, 2016

STEPS TO EXCELLENCE IN MINISTRY PART 2



Morning to you,

Let us go on with our series of Steps to Excellence in Ministry.

believe you are gaining insight into the understanding you need to become all that God requires of you?

The next understanding you need is you need to find Your Place in the Body of Believers
The Bible says that the callings of God are without repentance   (Rom. 11:29). If   you   are   called to   be   an apostle, prophet, evangelist,   pastor, teacher   or to   any other ministry   in   the   body of   Christ, the   Lord will not revoke   the assignment given   to   you.   He ordained you before   the   foundation   of   the   world.   When   you   stand before the judgment seat of Christ, it will be in the light of your calling—not what you did, nor what you meant to   do or   wished   you   had done,   but what God said   you were   appointed   to   do.   This   applies   not   only   to   the fivefold ministry but to every member of Christ's body.

Each believer is anointed and endued with power to fulfill a specific function. By the Spirit of God, every individual is able to perform their calling with mastery and   excellence.   So,   it   would   be   to   your   advantage   to
find your calling and get in it!

You may  have  to   change  your   thinking   to   find   your place.   If   you   have   some   unscriptural   religious traditions,   you will have to   discard them.   For example, 2 Timothy2:20says, But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth;   and   some   to   honour,   and   some   to   dishonour.

Many who read that verse (or preach it) stop right there. They   say,   "Not   everybody   can   have   the   kind   of excellent   ministry   that   people   like   Brother   Copeland
have.   Because  in   a   great   house   there   are   some   vessels to   honor   and   some   to   dishonor.   Some   are   vessels   of gold,   but   some   of   us   are   required   to   be   the   earthen vessels."

Nonsense!   Satan   will   twist   the   very   scriptures themselves   in   order   to   keep   people   bowed   down   and trying   to   please   God on   the   basis   of   their   feelings   and false   humility.   If   you   don't   believe   that's   hypocritical, just see how you react when someone else starts telling you   how worthless you   are!   Just   let   your   darling   child comes home from   school one day and say, "Guess what the   teacher   told   me   today?   That   I   am   unworthy,   no good   and   a   worm!"   You would go   to   court   over   that! Yet   many   people   tell   God   that   very   thing   about themselves and call it humility—that's hypocrisy.

Let's read   on  and  finish   the   entire  passage.  Let's  see what   the   Bible   actually   says   about   us   (verse   21).  If   a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto   honour,   sanctified,   and  meet  for  the   master's   use,   and prepared  unto   every   good   work.  "Meet"   is   an   Old English word which means "able."

Whether you become a gold  pot  or a mud  pot  is  not the   Master's   decision;   it   is  yours.  Both   are   available.

You can be a vessel of honor as a matter of choice.

God   has   more respect   for   us   than   many   of   us   give Him credit for.   Did you   ever watch a master craftsman at   his   trade?   How   does   he   treat   his   tools?   He   is   not negligent and careless.  His tools   are specially designed and   tempered,   full   of   strength   and   power   to   do   very specific tasks.   As a skilled craftsman, he depends upon his   instruments   for   his   livelihood.   He   meticulously uses,   cares   for   and   maintains   the   tools   of   his   trade.

They   are   extensions   of   his   creativity.   He   intends   for them to last a life time and to be handed down to his son after   him.  The tools   of   a   man's   trade   take   care   of him, and he takes care of them.

In   the   redemption of   the   human   race,   you   and   I   are the   tools   of God’s   craft.  Jesus   is   the   Redeemer, but we are   the   bearers   of   Good News.   He is   the   vine,   but   we are the   branches that   bear the   fruit.   He will care for   us and   sustain   us.   He   will   temper   us.   A   wrench   is   not tempered   by   beating   it   over   an   anvil.   People   have   the mistaken idea   that   to   strengthen   a   believer   God   has   to be at and harass him.

No!  It   takes   oil  to   temper   steel.   The  oil  of  the   Holy Spirit   toughens   and   reinforces   us.   Our   strength   and power lie in the Word of God and His Spirit indwelling us.

God will keep you safe in His will in Jesus name!

Thanks,

Join me again tomorrow for the continuation

Remain blessed!

John Olanrewaju
Pastor, Author, Poet, Creativity, Business, Relationship, Career & Life Coach

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