BY Argie Simonis
The Lord has a calling on all of us. I believe many of you watching have already recognized your calling and want to walk in it. In today's message I will expose two big pitfalls that can stand in the way of the call the Lord has on your life and I will give some useful advice.
"For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." 2Cor. 10:12
In other words, Paul is telling us that it is foolish to compare ourselves with others. There is serious danger in doing this and two things can happen:
- If we compare ourselves to others who apparently are doing much worse than us, then there is a danger that pride will come into our hearts and the satisfaction we will feel can set us back and prevent us from becoming better.
- If we compare ourselves with those who apparently are better than us, then there is the danger of discouragement and disappointment. We lay down our arms and abandon the vision that the Lord has given us and as a result we remain unfruitful.
I underline the word apparently because it is impossible to know everything about others the way we know ourselves, nor what is really going on in their lives. Therefore, it is very possible that these people appear to be better or worse than they really are. Man tends to look at the appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7)
See a typical example, Jesus' words to Peter:
"Then Peter, turning about, sees the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrays you?
Peter seeing him said to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
Jesus said to him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to you? follow you me." John 21:20-22
Jesus had told Peter to follow Him. However, Peter wanted to know what the Lord's plans were for John, and the Lord told him that what He planned for John was none of his business. The devil has led many Christians astray by being preoccupied with what others are doing for the Lord and forgetting to look at themselves first.
Paul clearly tells us what our priority should be:
"Brothers, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing you be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this to you." Phil. 3:13-15
It doesn't matter if you do more than someone else to serve the Lord. The question is, are you walking in the will of God? Are you walking in the calling He has on your own life?
When at some point we appear before the Lord, we will give account for ourselves, for what the Lord called us to do, and not for what someone else has done or not done. Our works will be evaluated based on their quality and not their quantity:
"Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." 1Cor. 3:13
Be assured that in heaven there will be people who seemingly had built great houses (ministries) but the Lord will reject the building materials they used because their works were carnal. Likewise, there will be some others who, while they had no special recognition on earth because they did nothing great according to human standards, will receive great rewards because they faithfully completed what the Lord called them to do:
"So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen." Matt. 20:16
Do you know who the chosen ones are? God's word is simple, as long as you know where to look:
"And Samuel said, Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams." 1Sam. 15:22
"For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein you have done foolishly: therefore from now on you shall have wars." 2Chr. 16:9
Who are they whose hearts are perfect toward Him? We just saw it in 1 Sam. 15:22. Those with a heart of submission and obedience to His will.
If you believe that you are sacrificing yourself for the Lord by doing your own things, things that you believe to be right, what we have just read puts things into perspective. Submission is an attitude of the heart, and obedience is the execution of a command. In other words, I agree in my heart with the Lord's will (submission), and I do what He tells me to do (obedience). I have a whole message on the subject of submission and obedience. You can find it here:
So, in summary, the first pitfall to avoid is:
Don't compare yourself to others.
---------------------------------
Now let's go to the second trap. I will make an introduction with some statements of the apostle Paul, and then I will explain.
In Romans chapter 15, Paul spoke of the glory, or the boasting, of the things God had done through him. He begins by saying to be of the same mind:
"Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
That you may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Why receive you one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God." Rom. 15:5-7
Then in verses 17-18, Paul says:
"I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.
For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not worked by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed," Rom. 15:17-18
In 1Cor. he gives instructions of examples to avoid:
"Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted." A'Κορ. 10:6
And continues in vesre 12:
"Why let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." 1Cor. 10:12
Paul had many people who opposed his work. Here he refers to people who were his critics. These are the ones who just talk but cannot back up their claims. They talk big about what they would do, but have no fruit in their lives to back up their statements. They are only words.
Paul's opponents were just like many people who sow strife today. They are against everything, against authority, and criticize the way any kind of person in leadership handles things, either that person is a politician, a church leader, or generally a person in authority. They make big statements about what they would do if they were in power, but all they do is talk big. And they do this while they have not proven themselves successful in managing even the smallest things. Nevertheless, they want to be in charge of big things, just based on their words and promises.
"But he that glories, let him glory in the Lord.
For not he that commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends." 2Cor. 10:17-18
Here I will make some important clarifications on the subject of ministry. God's kingdom operates on certain principles. Maturity and preparedness to do something has stages. Don't get impatient and pray
"Lord why don't you use me?".
The answer is simple. The Lord is not using you because you are not ready to be used. And I will explain it:
From the moment you enter the ministry you become a target for the devil:
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:" 1Pet. 5:8
God will never expose you to such danger if you are not mature and properly prepared and grounded in faith. He wants to protect you and also the people you will minister to.
Paul gives clear instruction to Timothy regarding persons in the ministry:
"Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless." 1Tim. 3:8-10
Remember the parable of the seed:
"For the earth brings forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear." Μark 4:28
Remember also other Jesus' words:
"His lord said to him, Well done, you good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter you into the joy of your lord." Μatt. 25:21
"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?" Luke 16:10-11
"And he said to him, Well, you good servant: because you have been faithful in a very little, have you authority over ten cities." Luke 19:17
As for people who are already in the ministry, as I said before, the moment you begin your ministry, you are entering the fields of the devil and there will definitely be resistance because the devil will raise people up against you to hinder you. The sad thing is that some of them will also be brothers in Christ. We already have an accuser, the devil
"... which accused them before our God day and night." Rev. 12:10
We don't need more accusers, so be careful not to fall into this trap and become one of those accusers.
It is observed that most of the time, the criticism against those who do some things that bring change, comes from those who do nothing. The best example is Jesus Himself, who despite of all His good works, miracles and healings, He was criticized and rejected by unfruitful people who had nothing to show for their own lives.
He who has done nothing yet in his life should not criticize the one who has done some things. Similarly, the one who claims that something cannot be done should not become an obstacle to the one who is already doing it.
So this is the second trap:
--- Do not critisize. ---
It is therefore important to avoid these two traps of the devil if we want to bear fruit and walk in the will of the Lord. Two things are very important that we must recognize as children of God and members of the body of Christ:
- First, we are made in a special and unique way,
- and second, we are not all called to do the same thing.
We must work together and not fight each other. We belong to the same family with the Lord as our leader and we strive for the same cause, each one of us with the gifts and abilities that the Lord has given us. Therefore, avoiding comparison and criticism among ourselves, grounded in faith, we will be able to walk in our calling and become the trees that David speaks of in the first psalm:
"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper." Psalm 1:3
Amen!
No comments:
Post a Comment