GOD'S VESSELS 1

"FOR THE GIFTS AND THE CALLING OF GOD ARE NOT REPENTED OF."
Romans 11:29 (American Standard Version)

• If God had given gifts and put His call on a believer's life, such are usually not withdrawn from the person. Although, the person has the responsibility of what they do with the gifts and the call.

• As a believer in Christ Jesus, you are ordained for an assignment, even before the time began: "WHO HAS SAVED US AND CALLED US WITH A HOLY CALLING, NOT ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE WHICH WAS GIVEN TO US IN CHRIST JESUS BEFORE TIME BEGAN" (2 Timothy 1:9).
  a. Moses was set apart or separated from the womb (Exodus 2:1,2; Acts 7:20,25; Hebrews 11:23).
  b. God told Jeremiah:
  4 THEN THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO ME, SAYING: 5 “BEFORE I FORMED YOU IN THE WOMB I KNEW YOU; BEFORE YOU WERE BORN I SANCTIFIED YOU; I ORDAINED YOU A PROPHET TO THE NATIONS" " (Jeremiah 1:4,5 NKJV).
  c. Jacob and Esau (Romans 9:11,12).
  d. John the Baptist had been set apart before he was conceived, it was said of him that he would be filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb (Luke 1:13-17).
  e. Paul the apostle (Galatians 1:15,16).
  f. Jesus Christ (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22,23; Luke 1:30-33).
• All the people mentioned above had been preplanned for one assignment or another. This was done ever before they were conceived in the womb (Romans 9:11).
• And Apostle Paul in the book of 2 Timothy 1:9 said every person who is saved is called according to God's purpose and grace.

• Preordained

• Whatever a believer would be is already known to God and He arranges things in such a person life based on what He, God, has known about his or her future:
  "AND WHOM HE FOREORDAINED, THEM HE ALSO CALLED: AND WHOM HE CALLED, THEM HE ALSO JUSTIFIED: AND WHOM HE JUSTIFIED, THEM HE ALSO GLORIFIED [make glorified, full of (have) glory, honour, and magnify]" (Romans 8:30 American Standard Version).
• Your salvation is not accidental, God had the foreknowledge of you coming to Him through salvation in Christ Jesus:
  8 FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH, AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, 9 NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANYONE SHOULD BOAST. 10 FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND [in anticipation, in advance, early, ahead of time] THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM" (Ephesians 2:8–10 NKJV).

• Whoever is called to salvation is simultaneously called to work in God's Kingdom or vineyard on the earth:
"WHO HAS SAVED US AND CALLED US WITH A HOLY CALLING, NOT ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS OWN PURPOSE [plan] AND GRACE WHICH WAS GIVEN TO US IN CHRIST JESUS BEFORE TIME BEGAN [long before the world began]" (2 Timothy 1:9 (NKJV).

• In other words, a call to salvation is also a call to work in the Body of Christ, thus, individual believer should search or seek to know their place in the Body of Christ.
  a. Every believer is given the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18).
  b. Since every believer is a member of the body of Christ, thus, each one should be a functional member:
  4 FOR AS WE HAVE MANY MEMBERS IN ONE BODY, BUT ALL THE MEMBERS DO NOT HAVE THE SAME FUNCTION, 5 SO WE, BEING MANY, ARE ONE BODY IN CHRIST, AND INDIVIDUALLY MEMBERS OF ONE ANOTHER. 6 HAVING THEN GIFTS DIFFERING ACCORDING TO THE GRACE THAT IS GIVEN TO US, LET US USE THEM . . . " (Romans 12:4-6 NKJV).

"THE WHOLE BODY DEPENDS ON CHRIST. AND ALL THE PARTS OF THE BODY ARE JOINED AND HELD TOGETHER. EACH PART OF THE BODY [of Christ] DOES ITS OWN WORK. AND THIS MAKES THE WHOLE BODY [of Christ] GROW AND BE STRONG WITH LOVE."
Ephesians 4:16 International Children’s Bible
READ: 1 Corinthians 12:12-21;
c. Thus every believer should seek to know or endeavour to know his or her function or place in the body of Christ Jesus.

• Note: as stated above every believer has a role to play in the building of the body of Christ on the earth. Although there are some who are called to special offices of ministry, they are called ministry gifts to the body of Christ. These are listed in Ephesians 4:11— "AND HE HIMSELF GAVE SOME TO BE APOSTLES, SOME PROPHETS, SOME EVANGELISTS, AND SOME PASTORS AND TEACHERS" (NKJV).
• The main functional role of those in the ministry offices is mentioned in the next verse of that same chapter of Ephesians 4 verse 12: FOR THE EQUIPPING OF THE SAINTS FOR THE WORK OF MINISTRY, FOR THE EDIFYING OF THE BODY OF CHRIST" (NKJV)

"THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO EQUIP GOD'S PEOPLE TO DO HIS WORK AND BUILD UP THE CHURCH, THE BODY OF CHRIST."
Ephesians 4:12 (NLT)

• We could see that there is no one who is saved that has no function or work to do in the body of Christ.

• Those who are given the assignment to train or equip, the ministry gifts or those in ministry offices, and those who are trained or equipped to do the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:11,12).
• Thus, salvation or being saved should not be treated casually, It is a door or means to a functional role in the body of Christ. You have to discover your place in the body!
• Salvation leads to justification, being made right with God, and ultimately to glorification (Romans 8:30).

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.

• Should there be any ailment in your body, receive your healing now in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
• The hold of enemy is broken completely in your life in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
  Peace!

STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. As you took the steps A and B your name is written in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, congratulations, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!