ALL ARE CALLED, ALL ARE QUALIFIED
(The third of four blogs from a sermon I preached at Rock Point Church, Doylestown, PA, after returning from India in 2017.)
Everyone is called. There is no believer who isn’t qualified. The Gadarenes demonized man ran around naked hurting himself and others. He lived in a cave with decaying bodies. Yet when he came to Jesus he was called to minister to the people in that same area. Matthew, the despised tax collector, was called to follow Jesus. The adulterous Samaritan woman at the well was called to tell everyone in her village about Jesus.
We, too, are responsible to share the gospel with those where we live. We have a better opportunity to do that than anyone who moved into the area as a missionary for we know them and they know us. We have neighbors, friends, work associates and people we already know – a ripe harvest field for each of us (Matthew 9:36-39). There are many foreigners who come to our country and community. We don’t even have to send missionaries to speak to them – they have come to us! Yet often we don’t take time to get to know them and minister to them. Many of us are called to share the gospel right where we are.
Many, too, are called to give money to help support those who move to other locations and need financial support. Most are called to give small gifts but some are called to give large quantities of money. Missionaries to other places, and many ministries near and far, need financial support to carry out their mission. Christian Training Organization, my non-profit to minister to India, could not function without the donations of God’s people to make the books, conferences, financial support and yearly trips to India possible. Those called to give who faithfully do so will be blessed and rewarded as much as those who are called to go.
A third way many are called to stay and minister to unbelievers is by praying. Paul asked others to pray for him (Ephesians 6:19-20), and we definitely depend on your prayers for our India ministry, especially when we are in India.
Ephesians 6:19-20 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Are you faithful in praying for those who ask you to pray for them? Do you go out of your way to be alert to the needs of others? Do you keep a list of needs for which you pray regularly? Not all of us are gifted and called to long periods of prayer, but all are expected to pray daily for others.
INDIA UPDATE: Pastor Moses is returning to the areas where we had retreats starting over a month ago to visit with the pastors and encourage them to keep going. We don’t want to just have a meeting then drop them forever. We try to stay in touch to let them know they are remembered, they are important and they aren’t alone. We provide books for those who weren’t at the conference as well as times of prayer and fellowship. That is especially important in India during these most difficult days for Christians. There is no reason to think things will improve any time in the near future and every reason to believe they will get even worse.
PRAY FOR Pastor Moses as he travels and encourages the pastors. Pray for protection, wisdom, strength and God’s presence to continue the good work He started (Philippians 1:6). Pray for the pastors as they apply what they have leaned. Satan will work extra hard to discourage them, take their joy and have then fall back into previous habits. Pray they would grow as husbands, fathers, pastors and friends.