When God Calls Us, He Equips Us!

My last blog I wrote about God asking us to serve. Jesus asked us to make disciples of all men (Matthew 28:19-20).  There are many ways to serve. We all are gifted in different areas. I can list many ways that we are used differently. After all we do serve a creative and mighty God.
Even though we have read this in the Scriptures many times, we have heard different messages preached, we still tend to think of ourselves as inadequate. We tend to look at ourselves as not equipped as the other, or not as capable as the other, or not as "gifted" as the other.
That may be true for specific things, but it is not true when God has called you to do something specific for Him. God promises in His Word to equip us in the area He has asked of us.
One of the keys is feeling confident. We often question ourselves, did God really ask me? Did God tell me something different? Was that God or was it something I ate the night before? Yes, I've asked myself the same questions.
Philippians 1:6 Amplified Bible (AMP)
6) I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].
These are the words of encouragement the Apostle Paul gave to the church in Philippi.  Jesus knew the church needed to hear these words. And His Word remains true to this day and forever. He knew we also would need that encouragement.
Whatever God has placed on your heart, whatever He has asked of you, He will equip you. He won't begin equipping you and stop midstream. He will finish what He has started in you. He will teach us, make us grow, and definitely use us.  He will not ask us to accomplish anything impossible. He will not ask us to do a work we are not equipped to do.
How do we become equipped or able? I am convinced that our life's lessons equip us and prepare us. We do not start out in life knowing all of the answers. When we decide to follow Christ, we do not know all of the answers immediately. As we read His Word, and study His Word, He teaches us, He fills us with wisdom and knowledge. The Scripture in Philippians tells us Jesus will continue to perfect His work in us and complete it the day of His return. So our entire life, Jesus is teaching us, molding us, preparing us for the work He has asked us to do. If you remember from my last blog, He never leaves us, we never walk alone.
We all have gone through trials in our lifetimes. We have faced tragedies, illness, loss, hardships, and so on. All of those things, along with the good things we have experienced, Jesus will use them to teach us and equip us. We must remember to thank Him for the wisdom we will gain during the bad times. So often we only remember to thank Him during the good times in life.
We never walk alone! He is always by our side. He is always guiding us, paving our way. And one huge thing to remember, we will not fail. Even if we did not accomplish what "we think" we were supposed to, we did not fail. Jesus is never disappointed in us, especially when our intent is to serve and obey Him. We are not perfect, we will make mistakes. but Jesus is still by our side and loves us regardless.
Faithful readers, I pray these words encourage you. I pray that as you go through life, and you feel deep in your heart that Jesus has asked something of you, that you feel honored as His servant that He trusts you, and that you feel encouraged and hopeful in that new task.  Hang on to the words above in Philippians. They are true and for you.

A Willing Servant

As a follower of Christ we know what His Word tells us.
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 
20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
In these verses Jesus tells us clearly what He would like us to do for the sake of His Kingdom. For the sake of His children. Jesus doesn't want anyone left out. He desires all of us to be with Him forever.
How do we feel about these verses? Are we excited to be included in serving His church, His Kingdom, His children?
For me, I am very excited about serving the Lord Jesus. When my days are done here on earth I want Jesus to say well done faithful servant and daughter.
I know for many these words can be overwhelming. Many wonder what they can do or how can they serve. Servanthood has many different appearances.
Some may travel the world spreading the Gospel. Some, teach or preach to the masses. Some, lead the church in worship, singing and playing their instruments. Some teach Bible studies. And then others, like myself, may write a blog, or pray with someone, or walk along side a friend in need.
Jesus doesn't measure our levels of serving. He desires we serve with a loving heart and a desire to glorify God. Our serving is not to lift ourselves on a pedestal.
My friends, do not feel like you have to measure up to the next. But be obedient to the calling God has given you.
In my last blog I mentioned something took place while visiting our son's church in Tennessee.
Let me explain.
My husband and I live in a state that has politicians who do not put the Lord first. They have passed some very aggressive laws concerning abortion. Killing babies when they are born. And some other laws that do not line up with the Kingdom of God and the Bible. While visiting in Tennessee and church, the Pastor shared a video about a woman who has a pregnancy center in the state we live.
The center offers free ultrasounds to pregnant women, hoping when they see their baby and hear it's heartbeat, they will choose life instead of abortion. As my husband and I watched, we wept. We watched the video about this lady and her serving God and desire to save these women and their babies, in the very state we live in. The ultrasound machine the center was using became outdated and no longer functional.
The church in Tennessee became aware of this. They often take up special offerings to set aside when a need comes up. The need of an ultrasound machine came up. The church supplied the new machine, which is thousands of dollars, and they also updated the center with specific items.
A church over 1000 miles away took care of the needs of this pregnancy center, in the very state we live in.
This brought immediate hope in our hearts. The state we live in, which has some very dark leaders, has hope. There is one lady who had a vision to save babies. And she ran with her vision and is making it happen. God is at work through each one of us. Whether our task is small, or very large, God is using us.
We were so encouraged by this. God is moving amongst us. He will use us. He asked us in the verse above, to go into all the world.  He will do the rest. He just wants us to obey His Word, and be pro-active. We all have a part in building the Kingdom of God. This is an honor and a privilege.
Faithful readers, whatever it is that God has placed on your heart(s), take that vision and run with it. He will meet you on the very path He has given you. We never walk alone. He is with us always.