How humbling it is to know and experience, that my God, who is Holy, chose a sinner such as myself. My life before Christ is not something to be proud of but rather is to be shunned. A life with no direction, dark and evil. Only by God’s grace and love can get someone like me out of such a place.
I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior back in 2001. It has been an “up and down” journey ever since. I have been part and led different ministries throughout the years and God’s word remains true, John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. The times that I thought, “ I want to serve God here..” or “I can be really good in this ministry for the Lord...” if not all, have been mostly-a failure. The ministry will either dissolve or I resigned . I served in the Men's, Youth and Music and have substituted for our Senior Pastor whenever he left for a Mission trip in the years past as a Deacon, prior to my “Associated Pastor” calling in 2014.
‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” Leviticus 19:12
I believe that a Christian is “Once saved, always saved”, I also believe, and have been taught that, “ Once saved, always changed.” Changed to be “holy” as our Lord is “holy”. I believe that this is one of the main important factors of being a Christian and that it will always be challenged. As Oswald Chambers clearly stated; That Christ died for me, and therefore I am completely free from penalty, is never taught in the New Testament. What is taught in the New Testament is that “He died for all” (2 Corinthians 5:15)— not, “He died my death”— and that through identification with His death I can be freed from sin, and have His very righteousness imparted as a gift to me. The substitution which is taught in the New Testament is twofold— “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” The teaching is not Christ for me unless I am determined to have Christ formed in me (see Galatians 4:19).One of the reasons why I stepped down months after the nomination of “associate pastor” is the fact that I felt that my relationship with the Lord wasn’t “up to par” for this high of a calling. Afterwards, I prayed to God that He restores me to the place of our relationship where He wants and needs it to be at.
The Calling:
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. John 10:14-16
As I read my “Everyday with Jesus” devotional bible on May 4, 2015, I read something that “jumped” out of the page. The Devotional discussed about us Christians not wanting to get out of our “comfort zones”. I’ve read this thing many times in the past but for some reason it was speaking to me. At first I thought it had more to do with my professional career or my aspirations as a “script writer”, but the last line stating; “We cannot be content in this side of God’s purpose.” caught my heart. Nothing about my career or my aspirations for the worldly success has anything to do with God’s purpose, advancing His kingdom but rather working for His kingdom as a pastor, or in our churches case at that time, the associate pastor calling that I stepped down from. I prayed and asked Him that “if this is what I think it is Lord, please make it absolutely clear as I have made the mistakes in the past of seeing things the way I want to.” True to form, God is faithful and will answer His peoples prayers. May 5,2015, again on my Everyday with Jesus devotional, God answered; The Lord turned to him and said, “Go n the strength you have and deliver Israel from the power of Midian. Am I not sending you?” Judges 6:14
How fitting, the reading on about Gideon, another person that God used but one who asked for signs prior to moving forward with the call. I then prayed and again pleaded with the Lord about my weaknesses and inconsistency. Reading follows the lines of Gideon stating to God about his the same thing. God again replies to me; “But I will be with you,” Judges 6:15-16. I prayed and surrendered to His will and asked that He sustains and be with me always. Moreover, while I was praying, I received a call. The voicemail was from a Christian sister who is also in the same business of whom I haven’t spoken to for years wanted to show one of my listings. I called her and discussed business. Interestingly enough, she asked me this question of a lifetime for me, “by the way, are you a Pastor yet?”
Three confirmations in two days, twice in one day, one being a “phone call”. If that is not God calling me, I don't know what is.
My 38th birthday, September 27,2015 is when God made it official. I was the one He picked to be His under-shepherd in this church of His. “I will do whatever He wants me to do, only that He sustains me, I will go wherever He wants me to go, only that He be with me.” Unknown author.
I am forever humbled and honored to be of use by Him. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
Only with Him and by His grace can I accomplish what He wants from me. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
To God be all glory and honor.
I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior back in 2001. It has been an “up and down” journey ever since. I have been part and led different ministries throughout the years and God’s word remains true, John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. The times that I thought, “ I want to serve God here..” or “I can be really good in this ministry for the Lord...” if not all, have been mostly-a failure. The ministry will either dissolve or I resigned . I served in the Men's, Youth and Music and have substituted for our Senior Pastor whenever he left for a Mission trip in the years past as a Deacon, prior to my “Associated Pastor” calling in 2014.
‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” Leviticus 19:12
I believe that a Christian is “Once saved, always saved”, I also believe, and have been taught that, “ Once saved, always changed.” Changed to be “holy” as our Lord is “holy”. I believe that this is one of the main important factors of being a Christian and that it will always be challenged. As Oswald Chambers clearly stated; That Christ died for me, and therefore I am completely free from penalty, is never taught in the New Testament. What is taught in the New Testament is that “He died for all” (2 Corinthians 5:15)— not, “He died my death”— and that through identification with His death I can be freed from sin, and have His very righteousness imparted as a gift to me. The substitution which is taught in the New Testament is twofold— “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” The teaching is not Christ for me unless I am determined to have Christ formed in me (see Galatians 4:19).One of the reasons why I stepped down months after the nomination of “associate pastor” is the fact that I felt that my relationship with the Lord wasn’t “up to par” for this high of a calling. Afterwards, I prayed to God that He restores me to the place of our relationship where He wants and needs it to be at.
The Calling:
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. John 10:14-16
As I read my “Everyday with Jesus” devotional bible on May 4, 2015, I read something that “jumped” out of the page. The Devotional discussed about us Christians not wanting to get out of our “comfort zones”. I’ve read this thing many times in the past but for some reason it was speaking to me. At first I thought it had more to do with my professional career or my aspirations as a “script writer”, but the last line stating; “We cannot be content in this side of God’s purpose.” caught my heart. Nothing about my career or my aspirations for the worldly success has anything to do with God’s purpose, advancing His kingdom but rather working for His kingdom as a pastor, or in our churches case at that time, the associate pastor calling that I stepped down from. I prayed and asked Him that “if this is what I think it is Lord, please make it absolutely clear as I have made the mistakes in the past of seeing things the way I want to.” True to form, God is faithful and will answer His peoples prayers. May 5,2015, again on my Everyday with Jesus devotional, God answered; The Lord turned to him and said, “Go n the strength you have and deliver Israel from the power of Midian. Am I not sending you?” Judges 6:14
How fitting, the reading on about Gideon, another person that God used but one who asked for signs prior to moving forward with the call. I then prayed and again pleaded with the Lord about my weaknesses and inconsistency. Reading follows the lines of Gideon stating to God about his the same thing. God again replies to me; “But I will be with you,” Judges 6:15-16. I prayed and surrendered to His will and asked that He sustains and be with me always. Moreover, while I was praying, I received a call. The voicemail was from a Christian sister who is also in the same business of whom I haven’t spoken to for years wanted to show one of my listings. I called her and discussed business. Interestingly enough, she asked me this question of a lifetime for me, “by the way, are you a Pastor yet?”
Three confirmations in two days, twice in one day, one being a “phone call”. If that is not God calling me, I don't know what is.
My 38th birthday, September 27,2015 is when God made it official. I was the one He picked to be His under-shepherd in this church of His. “I will do whatever He wants me to do, only that He sustains me, I will go wherever He wants me to go, only that He be with me.” Unknown author.
I am forever humbled and honored to be of use by Him. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
Only with Him and by His grace can I accomplish what He wants from me. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
To God be all glory and honor.
In His grip,
Joe
You did not choose me,
but I chose you.
John 15:16.
but I chose you.
John 15:16.