The call of God.
The call by God to serve is a call that goes out to all believers in one capacity or another.
However, a title ascribed to men by men, has replaced the privilege and servant-hood of the call of God with a hierarchy system of power, control, where fame and showmanship is paramount as people strive to build “their ministry”. These man appointed leaders say; "It is the reward for the fruits of my labor, and my faithfulness to the call, my ministry is blessed of God."
There is no such animal as “my ministry” in the Kingdom of God.
The apostle Paul didn't risk all to help plant thirteen churches in order to build his own ministerial kingdom, nor to leave a monument, as King Saul did, to himself and has religious icons do today. The last thing he wanted to hear was, "I am of Paul!" He labored in order to leave the gospel of Christ to others, that their faith might not rest in or depend upon men. He labored in ordered to make himself ultimately expendable. "And I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls." (2 Cor. 12:15a)
John the Baptist actually labored to personally decrease in order that His Lord might increase. Jesus laid both His life and ministry down in order that His Father's purposes might be accomplished. “...the Son Himself will hand over rule of The Kingdom to His Father." (1 Cor. 15:24)
If the "Lord's work" is truly the Lord's work, then it cannot be "my work”. If we are truly entrusted with stewardship, then it is not our own. It, by all rights belongs to its owner, God. It is His, to utilize and give to whom He pleases.
To take what is not yours is the work of a thief. To use what is not yours, as if it were yours, is fraudulent. To refuse to give up that which does not belong to you and promote it as yours is covetousness and lying and to usurp the headship of Christ in His Church is arrogance.
It is Jesus’ “Church” and it is His “ministry", we as people are blessed to have a function in His ministry. “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (Phil. 2:13)
However, a title ascribed to men by men, has replaced the privilege and servant-hood of the call of God with a hierarchy system of power, control, where fame and showmanship is paramount as people strive to build “their ministry”. These man appointed leaders say; "It is the reward for the fruits of my labor, and my faithfulness to the call, my ministry is blessed of God."
There is no such animal as “my ministry” in the Kingdom of God.
The apostle Paul didn't risk all to help plant thirteen churches in order to build his own ministerial kingdom, nor to leave a monument, as King Saul did, to himself and has religious icons do today. The last thing he wanted to hear was, "I am of Paul!" He labored in order to leave the gospel of Christ to others, that their faith might not rest in or depend upon men. He labored in ordered to make himself ultimately expendable. "And I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls." (2 Cor. 12:15a)
John the Baptist actually labored to personally decrease in order that His Lord might increase. Jesus laid both His life and ministry down in order that His Father's purposes might be accomplished. “...the Son Himself will hand over rule of The Kingdom to His Father." (1 Cor. 15:24)
If the "Lord's work" is truly the Lord's work, then it cannot be "my work”. If we are truly entrusted with stewardship, then it is not our own. It, by all rights belongs to its owner, God. It is His, to utilize and give to whom He pleases.
To take what is not yours is the work of a thief. To use what is not yours, as if it were yours, is fraudulent. To refuse to give up that which does not belong to you and promote it as yours is covetousness and lying and to usurp the headship of Christ in His Church is arrogance.
It is Jesus’ “Church” and it is His “ministry", we as people are blessed to have a function in His ministry. “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (Phil. 2:13)
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