Jordon Gilmore
We Are All Called to Ministry
Let’s refresh our memory on what our purpose for this series is. It’s from Proverbs chapter 4, verse 23. It says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for out of it flows all that you do.” So far in the series, we’ve mainly focused on talking about the heart.
We began by emphasizing the importance of the heart and how deeply concerned God is about it, even more than about our actions, words, or where we go. He cares about our hearts and wants them.
We then discussed the natural condition of our hearts. The scripture says that our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked. It’s hard for us to even know our own hearts. But we ended that message with a scripture from First John that reminded us that even in the deepest, darkest parts of our hearts that we don’t understand, we can be assured that God knows our hearts.
And not only does God know our hearts, but he also knows how far our hearts are from him. Despite this knowledge, he still chose to love us, to die for us, to adopt us as his children, and to use us in his kingdom. So we can be encouraged by that.
Last time, we talked about our regenerated or renewed heart. We discussed how it’s God who gives us a new heart. We must be open to God’s presence and willing to share our hearts with Him. We can invoke the words of Psalm 42:3, “Search my heart, O God, and know my thoughts.” When we do this, God promises to give us hearts for Him.
Today, we’ll delve into the second part of the series title: “My heart, my ministry.” Let’s begin by focusing on the last part of Proverbs 42:3, which emphasizes the importance of our actions.
The Bible says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for out of it flows all that you do.” This verse underscores the significance of our hearts in shaping our actions and decisions.
In the context of ministry, we can define it as service to God and others in the name of God. This definition is straightforward and clear. Ministry involves serving God and others, regardless of their beliefs or backgrounds.
Interestingly, ministry is not limited to believers. It extends to serving people, even those who are non-believers, enemies, or those with whom we disagree. This means that we can still minister to them.
In the modern church, the term “ministry” has often been associated with professional or vocational roles. We tend to think of ministers as individuals in specific positions, such as those on stage or with titles. However, this definition overlooks the fact that all Christians are called to ministry.
When we consider the definition of ministry as service to God and others, we realize that we are all ministers. Every Christian is called to serve God and others in His name.
