Greetings again my Brethren. This month I would like to finish up what it means to be a qualified witness for the LORD someone who has paid the price, one who has learned the lessons, one who has been approved and now can go and speak for the Father. There are two truths that are critical to look at when we talk about the call of God; the first is we are not sent by others and the second truth is we are sent by God and God alone. In Galatians Paul shares with the church in Galatia, “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 2And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:” (Galatians 1:1-2) Now Paul knew this truth very well it is why Paul was bold as a lion able to speak with the scholars on Mars Hill and stand before Kings. Paul knew he was called by God to proclaim the good news of the Gospel message to every man, woman, and child to the Jews and the Gentiles to all who hear. My friend if you think you are sent by the Bible School or seminary you graduated from or some denominational religion you will miserably fail. No college or seminary degree or title can ever substitute God’s will and calling in our lives. Many preachers and pastors think if they can just go to the best college or seminary and get a degree from them God will bless their ministry and the works of their hands, well my friend that is not the way God does things. God does not call the best and brightest He calls those who have qualified. God is not impressed with what college, seminary, or even what titles you have behind your name God is impressed with someone who is willing to lay their life down for their fellow man, someone who is willing to be obedient to God the first time He speaks, someone who is willing to endure His dealings and judgments yielding more of a conforming to His Son’s nature and character. We are not called by man to share this wondrous message of the Gospel we are sent, we are personally chosen and called by God Almighty. This call makes it an expression of the Spirit of God. All things even our call to ministry must be an expression of the Spirit. I do not care if you are singing, preaching, eating, or baking bread it must be a thing of the Spirit or you are wasting yours and other folks time. It is the Spirit that makes the difference in the lives of people and if you are not called by God and His precious Holy Spirit you will never be able to touch the heart and lives of the people. If we have not been called by man then it must be God who is sending us. In John we read, “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.” (John 1:5-7) Of course we know John was talking about John the Baptist here, but like John the place of our call from God is always to be light into the darkness. And like John we are to “bear witness of the Light that all men through him might believe” this is why our call must be from God, this is why it must be God not man sending us. The foundation of our call to ministry is not based on our ability, talents, or skills oh no my friend. Our foundation and spiritual authority of our ministry is based on God calling us through His purpose and will for our lives and then all that we do and say will hang on God’s Spirit. Sadly today the Body of Christ is filled with evangelists, preachers, teachers, and pastors not sent by God, but by their own desires and wishes. I know of a new pastor (very good speaker) who told me he wanted to pastor a church because he was tired of going from church to church as an evangelist (called by God) and because he wanted to be in the same church as his family each Sunday. This is the wrong reason to pastor a church yet the Body of Christ is full of such leaders. My brethren we must understand we not sent by man, but by a holy and righteous God who takes note of why we do things.
Next month we will start looking at the “Divine Work” as it pertains to Godliness and the call of God in our lives. Do you hear Him now?
