"On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews. All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do."
Galatians 2:7-10
Galatians 2:7-10
- So here Paul was entrusted to preach to the Gentiles and Peter to the Jews. This totally blows my mind! Like I talked about in the last post, if man were trying to run this, you would reverse their roles and send Paul to the Jews and Peter to the Gentiles.
In Philippians 3:4-7, Paul lists all his reasons to put confidence in the flesh. He was a Hebrew of Hebrews, Circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a pharisee, a persecutor of the church, and as for legalistic righteousness: Faultless. Paul was like a role model for every Jewish person out there. And Peter was a fisherman, who left his nets to follow Jesus. So here the lowly fisherman is being sent to the proud Jews and the Model of the Jews is going to the gentiles. God gives the ministry! Things could have gone horribly wrong if they had done it mans way. - A ministry every believer on Earth shares is evangelism. This is the root ministry. 2 Timothy 4:1-2 says:
"In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction."
- If you are where God wants you, in the middle of His will, you will be used effectively. Now this doesn't mean there won't be times of dryness. It means that after those periods the harvest will be great. If you think of a farmer, he tills and waters and prepares the ground and does all this work but after planting the seeds, he basically sits and waits for months until the harvest is ready.
- Revelation 3:12 says:
"Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name"
- We are the pillars of the church. Now don't think for even one second that this means the church is dependent upon you or any one person. We are supporting the body as leaders. We support by serving. We are the physical examples to new believers. If you think about the role pillars, they connect the roof to the floor. That's what we need to do. When believers come to you, lead them to the Father. When there is a problem, lead them to the Father. That's your job as a pillar.
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