Following God's Call

Not every person is meant to have a JOB as the world thinks and says of other people. That kind worldview is not really biblical anyway. Every person has different spiritual gifts, abilities, talents, skills, experiences, callings, paths, and journeys. Don't attempt to box other people into a very limited box.

Jesus was a carpenter by trade, but He was the Savior of the world. The Apostle Paul had a tent-making business. However, he was basically a traveling evangelist who went from house to house and church to church. In between, he went to prison while doing God's work. Peter was a fisherman. 'The Rock' as he was called was chosen by God to preach on the day of Pentecost to thousands of people.

Mary was a virgin, but she became the mother of Jesus Christ. David was a shepherd who became a king. Matthew was a tax collector by trade. Luke was a physician. Both men were disciples of Jesus Christ though. Rahab was a prostitute who became an ancestor in the lineage of Jesus.

I could go on, but I won't now. I will say this... Some people are meant to have trades. Some people are meant to have---what the world calls---jobs. Some people are meant to own businesses.

"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ..." (Ephesians 4:11-12, NKJV)

Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. That's the freedom to be who God has created each of us to be for His purpose and plan. So, release all of the burdens to God. Leave all the cares behind. And, allow God to do the work in and through people. He knows best for every person in this world.

(See Joshua 2; Isaiah 53; Matthew 1, 4:18, 9:9-10; Acts 2:14-39, 16:1-40; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 12; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Ephesians 4:11-16; Philippians 2:12-13)


Copyright 2018 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

"Lord, What About Him?"

Jesus finished having an important conversation with His disciple, Simon Peter.  During this particular conversation with Peter, He asked him if he loved Him.  Not once, but three times.  Peter told Jesus that he loved Him.  Then, Jesus told Peter to feed His sheep.  At the very end of their conversation, Jesus said, "Follow Me!"  (See John 21:15-19 - paraphrased and emphasis added mine)

Let's pick up now with verse 20.

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them.  [This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”]

When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” (v 21)

Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”  Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.  (See John 21:20-25)

Let's go back up to verse 21.

When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

Peter asked Jesus an important question that day.  One that requires a little more attention on our part at this time.  "Lord, what about him?" 

How often do we ask Jesus that same question?  "Lord, what about him?"  Or..."Lord, what about her?"  "Do you seeing what he is doing?"  Do you see what she is doing?"  "Do you seeing what he is not doing?"  Do you see what she is not doing?" 

Did you notice Jesus' first response to Peter though?  “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 

In this particular instance, Peter is very much like many of us within the body of Christ.  He seemed to care more about the other disciple's response or lack of response to Jesus.  He was too concerned about the other man's response and not his own response to the Son of God.  In part, he was comparing himself to the other disciple.  He was too busy thinking about the other person's business and not taking care of his Father's business.

It is much more important to concentrate and focus on what Jesus is telling us than being concerned about what others are doing or not doing for Jesus.  We need to pay more attention to Jesus and His instructions to us.  We also need to pay less attention to whether others are listening to Him and obeying Him.

We have all been given a specific calling, assignment, and task in God's purpose and plan.  We are all accountable to Him and only Him.  Therefore, we need to do our own part and not concern ourselves with everyone else.  We need to be about our Father's business.  Allow God to take care of all the other disciples of Jesus Christ.  He is very capable.

When we stand before God on judgment day, He will not ask us what others did for Him.  He will only ask us about our part.  He will only ask us whether we were obedient and faithful to what He had called us and equipped us to do for Him.  Let's decide today to only be about our Father's business, and let Him take care of everyone else's business.


Copyright 2015 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

Running the Race

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”  (Hebrews 12:1-3, NIV)

There is a tendency in this world to get our eyes off of Jesus and onto our natural circumstances.  The devil would like to distract you, hinder you, interrupt you, and shake you up in this world.  He would like to keep you from being and doing all you were created and called to be and do for God's purpose and plan. 

Jesus did not allow the enemy to hinder, distract, interrupt, or shake Him up.  He did not allow the devil to keep Him from being and doing all He was created and called to be and do for His Father's purpose and plan.  We cannot allow the enemy to keep us from being and doing all we were created and called to be and do for our Father's purpose and plan (See Jeremiah 29:11-13).

There is also a tendency in this world to compare our spiritual journey and life to the journeys and lives of others in the world, specifically within the body of Christ.  It is another tactic of the enemy though.  None of us have the exact same purpose and calling in God's plan.  None of our paths will look exactly alike.  Sure there may be some similarities, but we are all different.  We all have different purposes and callings in our creator's master plan. 

Let's briefly look at the journeys and lives of the Apostle Paul and Jesus' disciple, Peter.

Paul was called by God to be an apostle (See Romans 1:1-5; 1 Corinthians 1:1-3; 2 Corinthians 1:1-2).  He did not just decide for himself that he was an apostle.  God specifically created Paul to have that calling and purpose in His plan.  Therefore, Paul became all that God created him to be and do, but it was not Paul's own doing.  It was God's doing.  Paul said himself that he did not deserve to be an apostle because of his past (See 1 Corinthians 15:9).  "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect.  No, I worked harder than all of them---yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me (1 Corinthians 15:10, NIV)."  God worked in and through Paul to accomplish His purpose (See Philippians 2:12-13).  Paul went on to do much for God's Kingdom, because he knew who he was created and called to be in God's plan.  He suffered and endured much for the Gospel (Read Acts 16:16-40).  He boasted in all of his weaknesses and sufferings (Read 2 Corinthians 11:23-30).  He boldly spoke and preached throughout the regions and land where God had called him.  He also wrote much of the New Testament. 

Peter was a disciple of Jesus Christ.  He was only one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ back then.  Despite the calling on his life, Peter denied Jesus three times (Read John 18:15-27).  Jesus did not hold that against him though.  He did not condemn Peter.  God had a great purpose and calling for Peter.  He knew Peter would eventually step up and be the bold and courageous man He had created him to be for His purpose.  God gave Peter more opportunities to prove himself.  Despite his past and previous weaknesses, Peter was used mightily and powerfully for God's purpose.  While with the other 11 disciples, Peter preached the Gospel to a crowd of thousands of people on the day of Pentecost.  Due to Peter's obedience that specific day, nearly three thousand people accepted Jesus and were baptized into the faith of Jesus Christ (Read Acts 2:14-41). 

Neither one of these men began their journeys or lives well, but they both finished well.  Neither Paul nor Peter had the exact same calling or purpose in God's plan.  Their spiritual journeys and lives did not look the same.  They did not have or take the exact same path.  They did not look at another man's path, calling, or purpose and wish they were in the other person's shoes so to speak.  They concentrated and focused on what God had created and called them to be and do for His purpose and plan.  They kept their eyes on the ultimate goal---running their individual races and winning the prize that God had for each one of them (See 1 Corinthians 9:24-27).  They were both different men with different paths as well as different callings and purposes.  However, God powerfully used both of them to accomplish His purpose in His plan. 

Copyright 2015 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.