We will receive credit from God when it is God who told us to do that which we are doing on this present earth.
* If you are a husband and father, then you fulfill that role. You might also be given other works to do on this earth but for sure your role as husband/father will be an important role. Living a truly godly life on this present earth, following God faithfully by HIS Spirit, is the most important gift you can give your children.
* If you are a wife and mother, then you fulfill that role.
* Some are appointed by God to care for the church.
* And each of us encounter situations along this life where we are given opportunities to turn to God and seek HIS will and do according to HIS will, thus being created over and over in the image of Christ.
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But to prophesy by our own fleshly thoughts ... or to cast out devils without the real power of God ... or to do other churchly works without having God author these works will not be accepted in the day of judgment.
Jesus says to us:
Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
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I have a very strong witness of God for the works I have
done and for those works I currently do. And this witness keeps me on
the path of God and assists me to continue in that work. Because of
this witness, I continue even when opposed by others along the way. For the witness I have is of God and not of man.
Often I am reminded of this witness of the Spirit of God and I think on that which God gave me to do.
I believe each of us should consider that witness of God and hold fast
to the witness of God, doing those works faithfully, while turning from
the works where there is no witness that God authored those works.
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And what is that witness?
Think on the time you were born again and how that happened and the significant change that took place in you.
Think on other times you had the Spirit of God leading you to do something or to refrain from doing some "religious" work.
Think on information given through dreams.
It is often that witness of God that keeps us going. For often humans fight against us and would discourage us if possible and draw us away from that assignment given us by God.
The apostle Paul said:
II Timothy 1:8-9 ... be
thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power
of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not
according to our works, but according to HIS own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
... 11-13
Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of
the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things:
nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and
am persuaded that HE is able to keep that which I have committed unto
HIM against that day. Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast
heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
***
***
We also know our appointment by the spiritual gifts that operate in us.
Pam Padgett operates in the spiritual gift of helps.
I have the call of apostle/prophet on my life. I constantly bring correction to the church as a prophet. I deal faithfully in setting doctrines of Christ according to Bible in the church on subjects such as divorce/remarriage, homosexuals, dealing with disobedient in the church. (apostle) And I operate in the spiritual gifts of exhortation and word of wisdom and word of knowledge, building the church in the ways of God. The gifts identify the call of God to the godly.
I have the call of apostle/prophet on my life. I constantly bring correction to the church as a prophet. I deal faithfully in setting doctrines of Christ according to Bible in the church on subjects such as divorce/remarriage, homosexuals, dealing with disobedient in the church. (apostle) And I operate in the spiritual gifts of exhortation and word of wisdom and word of knowledge, building the church in the ways of God. The gifts identify the call of God to the godly.
I Corinthians 12:4-6 Now
there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are
differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are
diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in
all.
v. 28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
It is God who has given us these spiritual gifts and has created us to operate in the spiritual gifts which HE has given us.
And those gifts are for the church to be used for the church.
I Corinthians 12:8-11 For
to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word
of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to
another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working
of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to
another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of
tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit,
dividing to every man severally as HE will.
Romans 12:4-8
For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not
the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every
one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us,
whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of
faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that
teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that
giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence;
he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
I Peter 4:10-11 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man
minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in
all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and
dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 4:11-16 (After Jesus arose, HE gave gifts to the church to minister to the church.) And HE gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till
we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son
of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the
fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and
fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of
men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From
whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which
every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure
of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself
in love.
***
We
do not decide that we want to teach and set about copying others who
teach. Nor do we copy others who operate in the gifts of God. To do
so would be a mocker as spoken of in Jude.
Jude vv.17-19 But,
beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles
of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be
mockers (imitators) in the last time, who should walk after their
own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual,
having not the Spirit.
It
is not by the Spirit of God that they teach or preach but rather it is
by their own will and by copying others. We often see this in
"ministers" today, but they are ministers of the flesh doing their own
lusts and teaching others to do ungodly things in the name of God.
We
who are called of God operate in those spiritual gifts given by God and
in the calling given by God, and we deal in such as God has shown us to
do.
A man from India who identified himself to me as a Christian minister, asked me: "What vision do you have for India."
I replied, I believe by the Holy Spirit, "I have the same vision for India as I do for the United States and all other nations."
And I quoted the following scripture:
II Peter 3:10-14 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of HIM in peace, without spot, and blameless.
***
A man from India who identified himself to me as a Christian minister, asked me: "What vision do you have for India."
I replied, I believe by the Holy Spirit, "I have the same vision for India as I do for the United States and all other nations."
And I quoted the following scripture:
II Peter 3:10-14 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
Nevertheless we, according to HIS promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of HIM in peace, without spot, and blameless.
If we love God, then we will keep His commandments cited for us in the Bible, in the New Testament ... worshipping God in spirit and in truth of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Bible New Testament while we remain on this present earth, holding fast to that which God has said.
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