Daily Thoughts 9/25

Isaiah 45:11 This is what the Lord says— the Holy One of Israel and your Creator: “Do you question what I do for my children? Do you give me orders about the work of my hands? 12 I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my command. 13 I will raise up Cyrus to fulfill my righteous purpose, and I will guide his actions. He will restore my city and free my captive people— without seeking a reward! I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!” As i am reading today i notice a thread throughout both new and old testament and that is a calling. In the old testament he calls Cyrus a non christian to help the Jewish people and rescue them and to restore God's city for his people. So profound how he calls even though we don't think or understand why he does that except he does things for his name's sake. An applicable example of this in our lives now is our residence here in Peru. We have seen God's hand move here ever since we got to Lima. The home we are staying in belongs to some actress that was popular here in the late 90's. We told her what we were doing here and our mission and brief testimonies. She began to tell us her non christian beliefs, but then quickly wanted to help us. We told her we got here only with our 21 suit cases and that was all we had. She asked about bedding and furniture and we told her that we would get it as we were able to month to month. We saw God use her to bless us, God's people, in that she furnished our home for an extra $200 a month. She said that she would give us the furniture when we left to move to Piura in the north. She also added that she has trucks that go there monthly and that she would be willing to transport all the things when we get there. She told us that the house that we are staying in is made to lease for highly affluent business people who can afford $800 a month more than our budget. But when they showed us the house the realtor said for some reason right now she is leasing it for exactly the amount we had been looking for. SO GOD! We have seen his hand move in our lives and we are privileged to begin this new work in Peru. I truly feel like Israel sometimes that even when we are the guilty ones for disobeying him, rebelling and sinning as Isaiah finishes off chapter 46, God still rescues us for his names sake...Mercy Jesus In the new testament we see Paul begging us to live a life worthy of our calling. So many times I did not understand my Pastor used by God to stretch me because I am called. I have come to realize that if those called could truly grasp their calling we would as Paul says work in such unity, love, and harmony in the body of Christ. It is sad to see members of the body trying to jockey for position and be someone that God did not create them to be. The reason why we raise up other men in the ministry is not so that they can be a clone of us. It is actually the contrary in that the training God has brought through my life and the impartation that is transferred to their life added to the measure of grace of that persons' calling would catapult them to even greater works in Christ Jesus. We see that multiplication in Jesus' group when he said greater works will you do because you trust and believe that I have called you. God help the men in my life to grasp their calling by you so that they can believe and continue what you have done and greater. Listening to Paul explain the reason for the 5 fold ministry gifts it truly blesses me to know I have a pastor, evangelist, teacher, apostle, and prophet on my side that equips me to build Christ's church. It truly blesses me to hear scripture like this: Ephesians 4: 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. To help those that may read this: If you don't know if you are called ask your Pastor, Apostle, Teacher, Evangelist, Prophet. God put him there to help equip you. If you know you are called stop trying to be like someone else and be the best you that God called. If you are not doing your own special work in the ministry your hindering the body from being healthy and growing. Stop, repent and allow that special gift (5 fold minister) to equip you again!