Focus On The Saints: Called To A Predetermined Destination

The General Call

Firstly, we know that both leaders and saints are equally called according to God’s predetermined purpose.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28, NKJ

Secondly, we are all ultimately called to bear the Son’s image or be like Christ.

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the Image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29, NKJ

 

Specific Calling to The Saints

Leadership must demonstrate its commitment to the saints. Accordingly, its call to ministry must ultimately focus on the empowerment and maturity of the saints as an arrival to an appointed destination;

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping (or empowerment) of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of (or in order to build up) the body of Christ,” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:11-12,‬ ‭NKJ

In the day of Ezra and Nehemiah the people with their leaders were instructed on how to build;

“In the second month of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak and the rest of the people (the priests and the Levites and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work. They appointed Levites twenty years old and older to supervise the building of the house of the Lord.” ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭3:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.” Nehemiah‬ ‭2:17-18,‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

To their disadvantage, the people of God are often told what, but not how to build, pursue, and engage the purposes of God. The motivation must therefore be driven by the Father’s desire that;

‘His kingdom must come or be expressed and His will be done or successfully implemented and executed in the earth just as it is determined and exist in heaven.’

So we can say that;

‘Discovery or knowledge of the how gives us a roadmap of relevant activities to make His will a manifest reality.’

 

God’s Investment In The Saints

The fact that God has invested in the lives of saints is without question;

“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure (or divine investment) in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:6-7,‬ ‭NKJ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The purpose of this investment is so His leaders will in turn establish His saints in the faith;

“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2:6-7,‬ ‭NKJ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The empowerment and maturity of the saints are objectives or the destination of an evolving or developing process in Christ;

This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.

Ephesians‬ ‭4:13-14‬, NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

 

The Saints And Kingdom-Of-God

The Kingdom must ultimately be received as a spiritual possession by the saints;

“Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.” ‭‭Daniel‬ ‭7:27,‬ ‭NKJ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The kingdom presents an unfolding reality;

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:28,‬ ‭NKJ

The saints are confrontational in advancing the kingdom;

“And from the days of John the Baptist until now (or at the present moment/time) the kingdom of heaven suffers violence (or violent resistance and opposition to its advance), and the violent (or ones of aggressive Intent) take it by force.” Matthew 11: 12, NKJ

 

Advisement To The Saints

This pause must be considered a time to;

• Reset (entering a Time of new beginning)
• Review (looking again at life’s relevance)
• Repair (fixing things broken)
• Restore (embracing renewed commitment)
• Rediscover (having new-levels of spiritual sight)
• Return (receiving another opportunity) and
• Rebuild (getting it right)

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