Others May, You May Not
March 22, 2010
Ministry Training – “Others May – You May Not”
Importance: High
A life of complete devotion to God is simply that – A life of complete devotion to God. Any attempt to sneak in worldly influences, worldly pleasures, worldly thoughts, worldly motives and/or worldly objectives make a life no longer a life of complete devotion to God.
Some who have received the call to ministry still try to live a worldly life – a life full of worldly influences and activities. If the call to this high and holy service of complete devotion to God, His Word, His Purposes, and His Ways seems to harsh to you, it is likely because you are not called to the true Gospel ministry. So, do not worry about it. This level of call is not for you.
Many are attracted to the ministry by what appears to be benefits and pleasures of ministry as noted by the acts and actions of those in leadership. We tend to emulate those we have observed or been influenced by. The influenced of a certain style of leadership pulls us toward that direction even if we are not aware of it. Alternatively, we may vow never to be like those we feel have failed the call and we may bend entirely too much in the other direction. A correct response is to surrender all to God and ask Him to lead us and guide us by His Spirit toward an authentic response to the call to ministry on our lives.
The authentic call to Gospel ministry comes with a heavy pull, calling and desire for purity and holiness in one’s personal life. You should sense an intense desire for spiritual cleanliness in order to live a life pleasing to God and as an example to others. (2 Cor 7:1)
An authentic call to Gospel ministry also comes with a deep sense of compassion for others and a willingness to enter into their lives bringing the love of God, the grace of God, the mercy of God and the power of God to help them overcome and rise above their current circumstances. An authentic call to Gospel ministry is not a career, or accomplishment of personal desires and ambitions. Yielding oneself wholly to God means a willingness to go where He leads and when He says to go. Submission and surrender to His Lordship means that we serve Him without question and that we respond immediately and completely, not slowly and half-heartedly.
It may sometimes appear that leaders have benefits and a certain status, but for the most part true leadership is servant-hood and comes with enormous challenges that we cannot (must not) shoulder on our own. Responding to the call of God, generally means venturing into territory where the only way to accomplish what God intends to accomplish, is if we totally empty ourselves and rely on Him. We can only do so by walking ever so close to Him in our daily lives, thoughts, attitudes, conversations, actions, emotions, behaviors and relationships. Every moment of every part of our lives must be completely sacrificed to God in order that we may allow His Spirit and His power to inhabit us and to direct our paths.
Pastor Lisa Marie and I pray that this is the call of God on your life and that you answer the voice of God that calls you to His sacred service and to a life set aside to fulfilling that call.
When it comes to certain actions behaviours, attitudes, etc.:
“Others May, In fact they will – But You May Not!”
Blessings,Pastors Lawrence and Lisa Marie Fox