The Character of Paul's Ministry

"We give no opportunity for stumbling to anyone, so that the ministry will not be blamed. But in everything, as God's ministers, we commend ourselves:

by great endurance, by afflictions, by hardships, by pressures

by beatings, by imprisonments, by riots, by labors, by sleepless nights, by times of hunger, 

by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,

by the message of truth, by the power of God; 

through weapons of righteousness on the right hand and the left,

through glory and dishonor, through slander and good report;

as deceivers yet true; as unknown yet recognized; as dying and look - we live;

as being chastened yet not killed; as grieving yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; 

as having nothing yet possessing everything." (2Corinthians 6:3-10)

As ministers of the gospel of Christ, as Christians involved in ministry, as leaders and people with authority, as pastors and shepherds, as people of GOD...We are guaranteed to face a number of challenges, periods of growth, a life full of discomforts against our fleshly desires, hardships, struggles, so many of these things Paul names here. This passage struck me tonight as I was reading in my word because I could place myself in many of these happenings. 

There is a cost when we become followers of Christ. 

To follow Christ Jesus it will only cost us our life. No biggie, right? Are you willing to give it up? I said YES to Him a long time ago and I find myself having to choose to say Yes everyday still. I am always left with the choice, however there are serious consequences for saying yes and then trying to change your mind. Once you have said Yes, you have said YES!


YET, Our gracious and loving Lord God has already paid the price for us. Through the blood of Jesus, through His Grace and Salvation, we can walk with Him freely! We give OUR life so He can give us life. It can be one of the most confusing concepts yet it is one of the most simplest. 


Do you choose the Blue Pill or the Red Pill Neo? (from the "Matrix" if you were confused, although I hope not because that is a staple movie with such relevance and truth we can use as an example in our Christian walk....tools in my bag!)






What does it mean to give up our life and choose life? What does God really expect or desire from us? 

Let Go and TRUST in Him.

We all have an idea in our minds of something pertaining to our life. Even if we are not sure of the direction, we still choose a direction to walk in while we figure it out, and hopefully it was going the same way that we will eventually need to go in to get to where we are supposed to go...once we find out where that is, of course....LOL!

God is asking us to TRUST in HIM to guide the way in the direction HE has already laid out for us. We tend to Crave Control. WE want to pick the Who, What, Where, When, and Why's of our direction and How WE get there. 

God is asking us to give THAT up! 

Yep...THAT! 

"But wait, then how will I know I am going the right way?" 
"But wait, this way has too many bumps and challenges...this can't be the right way!"
But wait, Wait, WAIT!" 
"I can't."
"I won't."
"I don't know how."
"It's too hard."
Blah, Blah Blah, Blah, Blah!

I've said it, you've said it, that girl over there said it, and that guy is saying it now...we can't escape not saying it...that is our flesh rising up and fighting for control. (A control we never actually had, it's all really an illusion anyways..hehe!) 

God is saying:
"Put your life into MY hands and allow ME to carry you from here to the end. 
You will still fight, but I have already won the battle...Cut OFF the enemy's head and decree My word! As David slew Goliath and Cut Off His Head...so shall you defeat your enemies and cut off their head.
Trust in MY Promises for they fail not. 
Believe My Word. Learn it. Eat it. Breathe it. Live it. Sing it. Dance it. BE IT!
Take MY hand and TRUST in ME."
Says the Lord!




We must take our eyes OFF of our life and put our eyes ON Him. 


Close your eyes, Let Go, and TRUST.

Paul spoke earlier:

"Therefore we do not give up; 

even though our outer person is being destroyed, 

our inner person is being renewed day by day. 

For our momentary light affliction 

is producing for us an absolutely incomparable 

eternal weight of glory. 

So we do not focus on what is seen, 

but on what is unseen; 

for what is seen is temporary, 

but what is unseen is eternal."

Paul goes on to tell the Corinthians: 

"For we are the sanctuary of the living God, 

as God said: 

I will dwell among them 

and walk among them, 

and I will be there God,

 and they will be My people.