No one on earth can place you as a pastor, overseer, or evangelist in the called-out Assembly of God.
In this world a man/woman may be given a diploma by a seminary, ordained by a bishop, or commissioned by a denomination; but the apostle Paul reveals that the only source of any true calling to serve the called-out ones of God comes from the Messiah Jesus:
1 Timothy 1:12-14: I THANK THE MESSIAH JESUS WHO HAS GIVEN ME STRENGTH BECAUSE HE JUDGED ME FAITHFUL, APPOINTING ME TO HIS SERVICE, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I RECEIVED MERCY because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, BUT THE GRACE OF OUR LORD WAS EXCEEDING ABUNDANT WITH THE FAITH AND LOVE THAT ARE IN THE MESSIAH JESUS.
What does Paul mean here when he says Jesus enabled him and counted him faithful? Think back to the apostle’s conversion. Three days after that event, the Messiah placed Paul in his service, specifically a service that would involve a lot of suffering.
Note: A servant of the Messiah named Ananias was told by him to go to Paul who had been blinded on the road to Damascus and give him a message:
Acts 9:13-16: Then Ananias answered, lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on your name. But the lord [Jesus] said unto him, Go your way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
Note how Paul explains how people should regard one who has been placed in the service of the Messiah Jesus.
2 Corinthians 4:1-2: This is how one should regard us, as servants of the Messiah and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
Paul is telling us Jesus gave him an opportunity to serve as his steward. He also knew that his God and Father Yehovah would enable him to carry out the commission He had given him to do, that He would be with him every step of the way.
Notice a verse that applies to all those who have been called out of this world to have a place in the body of the Messiah Jesus and to do whatever he has commanded us to do:
1 Peter 5:10: But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by the Messiah Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle [you].
Because of all our God and Father has done on our behalf a transition is taking place in all of our lives as we strive to become more like His son Jesus. The truth is that we become like whatever occupies our minds. Our character is influenced and impacted by whatever is held in our hearts.
Matthew 15:18: But the things which proceed out of the mouth come forth out of the heart,
So out of the heart, the mouth speaks!
I thank my God Yehovah for everyone who chews on and digests and inculcates in his heart/mind the spirit-filled word of God. Such servants have fixed their eyes on what is pure and holy. They keep their hearts fixed on God's anointed one Jesus, seeking to live out their lives revealing him to others. God's Holy Spirit is at work in all His holy ones [saints], continually enabling them to become more like His son Jesus.
All the disciples of the lord Jesus should be ready for the hard, explosive sufferings that are soon coming. If they are not preparing for what is coming they will fail to hold fast to the awesome future that is theirs in the Messiah Jesus. When the hard times come, they simply won’t make it.
Notice the warning Jesus gives in the following verses:
Matthew 25:1-13: Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five foolish. The foolish took their lamps but took none oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom tarried long, all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh: go out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so, lest there will not be enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came: and they that were ready, went in with him to the wedding, and the gate was shut. Afterward came also the other [foolish] virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered, and said, Verily I say unto you, I don't know you.
Here is Paul’s final word on the matter:
2 Corinthians 5:17-21; 6:3-10:
Therefore, if anyone is in the Messiah he is a new creation. The old [man] has passed away; behold, the new [man] has come. All this is from God, who through the Messiah [who became for all mankind a sin-offering sacrifice] reconciled us to Himself [Yehovah God] and gave us a service of reconciliation; that is, in the Messiah God has reconciled the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for the Messiah, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of the Messiah, be reconciled to God. For our sake He made him to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God [in the Messiah Jesus].
We then, as workers together with him [the Messiah], beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vain. For he says, I have heard you in the acceptable time, in the day of salvation I have I given assistance to you: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Give no offense in anything, that the ministry is not blamed: But in all things prove ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
What an amazing example has been set before us! May our God and Father Yehovah give the enabling power to walk with the same attitude of heart and mind in serving Him and His son Jesus. As we do so we will experience the true riches that will be ours in a sin-sick world!
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