"My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers has a very good message today. Remember as you read these that he was an early 19th century minister from Scotland, so you may not immediately understand his wording, but I am confident that Holy Spirit will make it clear!
Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! —1 Corinthians 9:16
Beware of stopping your ears to the call of God. Everyone who is saved is called to testify to the fact; but that is not the call to preach, it is merely an illustration in preaching. Paul is referring to the pangs produced in him by the constraint to preach the Gospel. Never apply what Paul says in this connection to souls coming in contact with God for salvation. There is nothing easier than getting saved because it is God’s sovereign work — “Come unto Me and I will save you.” Our Lord never lays down the conditions of discipleship as the conditions of salvation. We are condemned to salvation through the Cross of Jesus Christ. Discipleship has an option with it — “IF any man…”
Paul’s words have to do with being made a servant of Jesus Christ, and our permission is never asked as to what we will do or where we will go. God makes us broken bread and poured-out wine to please Himself. To be “separated unto the gospel” means to hear the call of God; and when a man begins to overhear that call, then begins agony that is worthy of the name. Every ambition is nipped in the bud, every desire of life quenched, every outlook completely extinguished and blotted out, saving one thing only — “separated unto the gospel.” Woe be to the soul who tries to put his foot in any other direction when once that call has come to him.
Every born again believer IS in the full time ministry, but not every believer is called into a public ministry. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 gives us the clear picture of who we are in Him and what He has called every one of us to do!17 Therefore if any person is in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! 18 But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him]. 19 It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor). 20 So we are Christ's ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ's personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness]. AMP
THIS is our personal call to ministry! SOME He has called and anointed to a more specific and public ministry beyond this personal ministry, but they are STILL responsible for their own personal ministry, too! Those whom He has called, He has also anointed, equipped and prepared for everything that He desires for them to do. On another note, he mentions discipleship above. Becoming a disciple of Jesus is a personal decision that must be made by each and every born again believer. The knowledge of the Word of God that we need in order to operate with any degree of success in this life, will ONLY come through a determined purpose to know that Word! When Paul said this in Philippians 3:10, he was NOT speaking as a minster, but as a born again, Spirit-filled believer!
10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection AMP
Make becoming a disciple of Jesus your #1 priority and everything else will BEGIN to fall right into place! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with "Tell The World":
Shalom in Him!
