EJT Posted November 14, 2017 Group: Members Followers: 1 Topic Count: 5 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 14 Content Per Day: 0.01 Reputation: 13 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/11/2017 Status: Offline Share Posted November 14, 2017 Perspective is an interesting thing. For example, if I had just been released from prison and had the same circumstances going on in my life as they are now, I would be optimistic. I would see my job as gratifying. My relationships at work, church and home would be seen as fantastic. I would look to the future with hope. I would believe my circumstances would only be better, going forward. That is not how I view my circumstances. Somehow, over the years, my perspective has changed. I still value the life God has given me. I appreciate the things I have and the people in my life. I guess what I am battling with is the way my life has turned out. Many people would say my life is great. I am happily married. I live in a great community. I have a stable, rewarding career. I have a good Church. My family is close by and is doing well for the most part. What is there to complain about? My main gripe is that in my career I am not full time ministry. Deep down I don’t think I will ever shake the passion I have for reaching people with the Gospel. Whether it is evangelism or discipleship, I value direct, outright Christian ministry more than being a Christian in the workforce. Why is that? If I think about it logically, it should be no more rewarding to me whether I am representing Christ in one career or another. Some people in full time ministry would envy the relationships I have with “the world.” Maybe I am never satisfied in general. If I think hard enough about it, everything I put my hand to has disappointed me at some point. I never have the impact I really desire. It is highly possible the Lord is doing me a favor by not subjecting me to the immense responsibility involved with being in full time ministry. To some extent I imagine it has its own set of challenges. Maybe I don’t truly understand the gravity of that. Maybe it is just not what I am supposed to do. I have wanted to minister since I became a Christian at 16 years old. 22 years of life have passed since then. I have had many different experiences, relationships and goals. The greatest satisfaction I ever get is in seeing someone I know come to Christ or get to know Him more. Categorically, when enough free time is allotted to me I find a way to do ministry. I may do this is by studying Scripture, meditation, or by developing relationships for outreach and fellowship. I always end up pointed in the ministry direction. Sometimes I pen pal inmates in prison. Sometimes I deliver toys to needy children. Many times I find a way to just get to know my neighbors. Recently I began contributing to a Christian forum online. At one point I was on The 700 Club. I spent a long time ministering to motorcycle clubs. At work I find instances to influence folks who don’t know the Lord. I have seen peoples’ hearts change over time. Even my own family was at one time not interested in the Lord and eventually became receptive. One group of people I have had the longest involvement with is drug addicts and alcoholics. At least 13 years of my life have involved that. I have seen a lot of folks come and go in that group. Some of the old regulars are still there. I really am glad that, when push comes to shove, that group is always there for me with open arms. In retrospect it has been somewhat of a buoy. I feel like a failure many times. I also feel a lack of support from the Church. On the other hand, I feel immense support from my family and my wife. I feel misunderstood by the majority of people in the world. Life is complicated. Maybe I am too complicated. Who knows? What I do know is when I read the Bible it leaves me without the option of complacency. It gives unequivocal direction for every person’s life. It describes the situation of the world in dark terms and presents it with the Light of Hope. Everything is epic. So watching life play out for so many people in such a mediocre way is truly not what we were created for. God made us with deep purpose in mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplejeff Posted November 14, 2017 Group: Mars Hill Followers: 12 Topic Count: 12 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 7,689 Content Per Day: 2.39 Reputation: 2 Days Won: 20 Joined: 06/30/2015 Status: Offline Share Posted November 14, 2017 8 minutes ago, EJT said: Deep down I don’t think I will ever shake the passion I have for reaching people with the Gospel. Whether it is evangelism or discipleship, I value direct, outright Christian ministry more than being a Christian in the workforce. 2 minutes ago, EJT said: Why is that? There are or could be many external reasons for that. The simple one is found sooner or later by reading in the worthychristianlibrary.com for 'confirmation' of Yahweh's WORD that you already read and know and probably were told "why" but haven't been able to bring yourself to accept it yet, perhaps not until someone else points it out from Yahweh, from Scripture. It is actually a very common "deep down" and "value" and necessary to find out to live as CHRIST JESUS lived and as the FATHER in HEAVEN directs us all to live IN HIM, obediently, with instant obedience, with fullness of joy, peace and righteousness CONTINUALLY, DAILY, as written of the ekklesia in the NT. 2 minutes ago, EJT said: Maybe I am never satisfied in general. If I think hard enough about it, everything I put my hand to has disappointed me at some point. I never have the impact I really desire. Yes, this is very common also. (and is meant to be resolved, but most people are told NOT TO ) 2 minutes ago, EJT said: It is highly possible the Lord is doing me a favor by not subjecting me to the immense responsibility involved with being in full time ministry. To some extent I imagine it has its own set of challenges. Maybe I don’t truly understand the gravity of that. Maybe it is just not what I am supposed to do. THis is possible as HE SAYS in HIS WORD "let not many desire to be teachers,....." etc ..... because of the much more severe discipline needed , and the judgment we receive as teachers instead of being other workers supporting teachers for the Gospel's Sake in Jesus. The responsibility for others is far greater than 9999 of 10000 realize. 3 minutes ago, EJT said: I have wanted to minister since I became a Christian at 16 years old. 22 years of life have passed since then. I have had many different experiences, relationships and goals. The greatest satisfaction I ever get is in seeing someone I know come to Christ or get to know Him more. The angels REJOICE IN HEAVEN when ONE SOUL, just ONE, is saved ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! (and FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE SAVED) And all the true believers with them REJOICE EXCEEDINGLY ALSO !!!!!!!!! 4 minutes ago, EJT said: One group of people I have had the longest involvement with is drug addicts and alcoholics. At least 13 years of my life have involved that. I have seen a lot of folks come and go in that group. Some of the old regulars are still there. I really am glad that, when push comes to shove, that group is always there for me with open arms. In retrospect it has been somewhat of a buoy. David Wilkerson "Cross and the Switchblade" book, "Teen Challenge" , GOOD SERMONS ONLINE STILL (David died a few years ago). He did not need the addicts, prostitutes, drug dealers, and defiled ministers/pastors to be there for him. God sent David to HEAL THEM, to DELIVER THEM (including many demons cast out) , and to MAKE DISCIPLES OF THEM, SERVING JESUS as JESUS SAYS. 4 minutes ago, EJT said: I feel like a failure many times. I also feel a lack of support from the Church. On the other hand, I feel immense support from my family and my wife. I feel misunderstood by the majority of people in the world. This is normal also, and very common. The "GROWTH" YAHWEH can give to you is NECESSARY, so keep seeking HIM. Jesus was misunderstood , and is still today misunderstood by the majority of people visiting and by all who are living on earth. 5 minutes ago, EJT said: "THIS SPOT IS LEFT BLANK ON PURPOSE" 6 minutes ago, EJT said: Life is complicated. Maybe I am too complicated. Who knows? Yes, YAHWEH CREATED everything SIMPLE. Men came up with MANY DEVICES. (distractions, lies, subterfuges, other ways, etc) 7 minutes ago, EJT said: What I do know is when I read the Bible it leaves me without the option of complacency. Yes. True. Being set free from complacency can be a long time dealing by YAHWEH, or might take 2 minutes. 8 minutes ago, EJT said: It describes the situation of the world in dark terms and presents it with the Light of Hope. Everything is epic. So watching life play out for so many people in such a mediocre way is truly not what we were created for. God made us with deep purpose in mind. The world is dark. ("dark terms") and dangerous. Most of the world REJECTS THE LIGHT OF HOPE (JESUS), because they are evil, their deeds and lives and actions and thoughts are evil. It is EPIC, in the sense that eternal judgment, death, separation from everything good, and more, is the result. "Mediocre" may be the same as "dead" and "separated from LIFE; opposed to JESUS" : JESUS is NEVER mediocre. Yahweh's PURPOSE is PERFECT, completely provided for in JESUS (sin, guilt, shame, JESUS BORE ALL FOR US IN HIM), PROVISIONS for all life , generously , from the FATHER in HEAVEN, HE PREPARED COMPLETELY <BEFORE> the world was even created. (PLANNED, ACCOUNTED FOR, KNEW EVERYTHING, KNOWS EVERYTHING, IS NEVER SURPRISED) MAIN MESSAGE ? ! <<< CHRIST CRUCIFIED !!!!!!!>>> and RAISED FROM THE DEAD so that we may have hope for life everlasting ! OVERFLOW WITH HIM ALWAYS , always, abide in HIM. Amen. HALLELUYAH! MARANANTHA ! COME QUICKLY LORD JESUS ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neighbor Posted November 15, 2017 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 18 Topic Count: 950 Topics Per Day: 0.35 Content Count: 13,528 Content Per Day: 5.03 Reputation: 9,027 Days Won: 6 Joined: 12/04/2016 Status: Online Birthday: 03/03/1885 Share Posted November 15, 2017 (edited) Do you find disappointment or a calling? My boss of some 15 years left the legal profession for full time ministry. He had wife and three children but gave up his practice, went to seminary and ended up serving our local body of Christ for some 1o years now. I started my own little gig of helps as a facilities director at age 59 and just retired after 15 years. I knew two giants of faith in Jesus, scholars that gave it all up at age 60 to 70 to devote full time to sharing the gospel throughout the USA in cities reaching their own cultures in the languages they know, one in Hebrew the other in Greek. One is still alive and traveling in his 80's. In my own family two started a Christian school after they retired at age 65 putting everything they had into it. The school is in it's twentyeth year. Each of these people had a calling. So if you have a call you should be disappointed for not finding the way to follow it. Get moving if called. Edited November 15, 2017 by Neighbor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmuffet Posted November 15, 2017 Group: Royal Member Followers: 34 Topic Count: 1,990 Topics Per Day: 0.48 Content Count: 48,688 Content Per Day: 11.83 Reputation: 30,343 Days Won: 226 Joined: 01/11/2013 Status: Offline Share Posted November 15, 2017 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sower Posted November 15, 2017 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 14 Topic Count: 32 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 5,243 Content Per Day: 0.97 Reputation: 5,845 Days Won: 1 Joined: 07/09/2009 Status: Offline Share Posted November 15, 2017 (edited) Hello EJT. I believe whenever anyone commits to the tiniest bit of obedience, they are in the will of God. No matter our profession, we are all servants. When we trust the Lord and acknowledge Him, and not our own understanding, He will make our path straight. I personally wondered many times in my life when the direction changed, going where I thought nowhere, yet now I wouldn't change anything, as God has blessed me and my family mightily. My greatest and life changing blessings came during the leanest and meanest years. Which is the greatest, the well known evangelist behind the pulpit leading so many to Christ at the revival, or that young part time minister who led that evangelist to the Lord years before? Edited November 15, 2017 by Gary Lee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GandalfTheWise Posted November 15, 2017 Group: Royal Member Followers: 24 Topic Count: 40 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,459 Content Per Day: 0.60 Reputation: 2,377 Days Won: 2 Joined: 08/23/2017 Status: Offline Share Posted November 15, 2017 FWIW, Here's my story. I became a Christian at age 12 and am now in my mid 50s. I spent decades being very active in many different ministries while having a FT job and being married and raising 3 kids. About 7 or 8 years ago, God put me on the sidelines. Every ministry opportunity dried up. I got a boss that wouldn't let me do anything worthwhile. Basically, everything I'd been throwing my energy into for decades disappeared. I first assumed attack of the enemy, unconfessed sin, a new direction in life via closed doors looking for new doors, etc. After a year or more of that, I started to shut down. Basically, it was God trying to get me to slow down, relax, and stop being busy doing stuff. Over the course of a couple years, God brought me to the point where I saw I'd been making my identity by what I was doing. I was measuring myself by being a good Christian, a good husband, a good father, a good employee, using my gifts and talents, and by how much fruit I was seeing in my life. I'd look in the mirror every morning shaving and thing to myself "Loser!" I felt like I was falling short of everything I had the potential of achieving spiritually in spite of how hard I was trying and how much time and effort I was putting in. The bottom line: 30 odd years of having been a Christian and I felt like I was at a loss of what to do next. God finally made it clear to me that I had no idea of *who* He created me to be. I had defined myself by what I was *doing*, not by who God wanted me to *be*. He slowly opened my eyes that He wanted my life to be about being the unique person He had created me to be; not running myself ragged checking off items on a spiritual todo list. As I started living my Christian life from the perspective of being who God made me to be, I found that ministry and other things started to flow naturally. He did some healing on some emotional and spiritual wounds and bondage that I never knew were there. Within a month or so, my wife and daughters were commenting on how different I seemed. In the past few years, I feel like I've been accomplishing more when I minister to people than I had in the previous decades. Some things I'd been working on for years have just started flowing easily and growing naturally. My spiritual walk with God is more comfortable and stronger than it had been before. The bottom line is that I changed my spiritual life from working at *doing* the giant spiritual todo list (that I was mostly making up for myself) and replaced it with *being* who God created me to be. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sower Posted November 16, 2017 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 14 Topic Count: 32 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 5,243 Content Per Day: 0.97 Reputation: 5,845 Days Won: 1 Joined: 07/09/2009 Status: Offline Share Posted November 16, 2017 On 11/14/2017 at 8:04 PM, GandalfTheWise said: The bottom line is that I changed my spiritual life from working at *doing* the giant spiritual todo list (that I was mostly making up for myself) and replaced it with *being* who God created me to be. Sounds familiar. For many years I also did my best to work for God . Then I learned that God wants to work. Through me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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