Greetings again my Brethren. This month we will end the section “A Divine Work” looking at the last two points of the call of the Apostles which means “sent forth ones.” We give much acclaim and notoriety to the Apostles, but in reality they were no more special than you or I in God’s eyes. God is not a respecter of persons. We often see people (please take heed my friend to Christian TV most if not all is apostate man worship and denominational religion) God is using and say, “oh how I wish God would use me like that” well God is saying please let me use you like that.” Whether God uses us or not is not up to God (He desperately wants to), but up to us. Are we willing to do the things God wants to do in our lives to be approved and qualified for the things of God. The condition to be accepted and used of God is not who we are (being an American, German, etc), how much money or education (to include Bible School) we have, or even how talented or good looking we are. Peter tells, “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” (Act 10:34-35) My friend please know, only through our “fear (awe) of him” and those who “worketh righteousness” will be used of God. All others are want-to-bees. There is no free ride in God. Everything we get from God will cost us something. Read your Bibles my friend to be used of God He will work you over inside so that your outside will be an example to the Body of Christ and to the world. Paul told Timothy (his student) “These things command and teach. 12Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:11-12) Paul told Timothy be an example to the Body of Christ then listed some way he could be an example, “in word” and “in conversation.” Now I hope we know just how powerful our words are they are life and death to us and others, but “in conversation” is not the same understanding we have today. The word “conversation” means not speaking, but our actions. Paul instructed Timothy to be an example in our word and in our actions. If our actions do not measure up to the words we speak then we are a hypocrite (an actor) and the world knows (sadly they have many examples) a hypocrite when they see one.
When called the Apostles were not just called, but they were sent forth “And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,”(Mark 3:14) and in the sending was a divinely arranged appointment to ministry. The word “ordained” (Strong’s #4160) which means: to makewith the names of things made, to produce, construct, form, fashion, and to be the authors of, the cause. In churches and ministry today we “ordain” people as deacons, elders, pastors, and say they are now qualified (legally) to be the leader or have a certain standing, but that is not the context of the word “ordained” Mark uses. There is a huge difference between giving a title to someone to be a leader than to: be the author of, to cause, to produce, construct, form, and fashion. The Apostles (and us) were “ordained” by God to make a difference in the lives of people by producing, constructing, forming, and fashioning things of God in their lives. Not only are we to be examples, but we are to help create the image of God in the eyes and understanding of men and women. We see this in the end of 1 Timothy 4:12, “in charity (love), in spirit, in faith, in purity.” We are to be the example and help create, fashion, form: in love, in the spirit (now that is not the Spirit of God, but in brotherhood and compassion), in faith, and in purity. We are to be an example and help create these requirements of God in others so that they too can become disciples and Apostles of God. The Apostles were not only called and sent forth, but they were divinely equipped to meet the call God placed upon their lives. Not equipped with means and provision of men, but Godly means and a Godly provision that was divinely imparted to them. In Mark we read where Jesus gave them the authority, “And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:”(Mark 3:15) to heal the sick and over every evil work of the devil. What better way to get the attention of someone who is sick or possessed than to heal them or cast out the demon? These two situations in the world at this time (and our time now) were big problems due to religious worship, poor hygiene, and no medical care to speak of. Jesus knew what He was doing, but let us not miss the point of the verse they were sent forth ones or equipped with a divine arrangement and appointment to do the works of God as Jesus did them. Man apart from God cannot heal (even with the advancement of modern medicine) or cast out devils. Only a divine God can give man a divine ability to do the divine things He has asked man to do. God called them, God “ordained” them, God sent them forth, and God equipped with an ability to do divine things.
Next month we will start a whole new section “A Divine Provision” and begin looking at the disciples dependence on God and not their independence. Can you hear Him now?
