Patience or Pride?

I’ve seen this way too often and I cringe when a new believer tells me, “Gods called me to preach the Gospel.”  Oh, boy.

^{1 Timothy 5} (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) ⁶ He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.

Gentlemen, every man who comes through the Colony of Mercy is a “new” believer by virtue of falling away from their faith or having none to start with. And, if you have been bound by life dominating sin to the point of needing time at the Colony, YOUR HOUSE IS NOT IN ORDER! If this is starting to upset you a bit, you really need to keep reading.

Galatians 1: ¹⁵ But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. ¹⁷ I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas^[a] and stayed with him fifteen days.

Paul, scholar of the Law and the Prophets (the Old Testament), had a face-to-face with Jesus on the Road to Damascus and yet he went away for 3 years of training before he was ready for his mission. Guys, if you think you are called to serve the Lord, that’s between you and Him. But scripture is CLEAR that new believers are NOT qualified, NOT mature enough, NOT experienced enough and NOT educated in The Word enough to be engaged in full time ministry—yet. If you find this offensive, check your pride at the door and read the scriptures—the Word of God is what you are chaffing at—not me.

Paul also had a bad reputation to overcome, just like most of us do/did. That doesn’t happen in a day or a week—it takes time. Paul understood this and was PATIENT enough to go through the process and NOT let his PRIDE push him into a ministry he was not ready for.

If you are feeling called into ministry, your Pastor, Deacons, Elders—all mature believers who you should have a close and consistent relationship with—they should be able to see Gods work and calling in your life.

So, what is moving you in your life today—Patience—or Pride?

Father, speak clearly into my life so I know where You want me. Then, give me the Grace to make the journey with You patiently and with joy.  Amen – Steve Schmidt is a weekly Freedom Fighter blogger, a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a full-time member of the Keswick team

Daily Bible Reading: 2 Kings 9-11

Think About This: The Lord Jesus has as great an interest in the weakest saints as the strongest. —Thomas Brooks

Verses to Memorize: Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,compassionate hearts,  kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Colossians 3:12-13