(Response to email from an evangelist ...)
I am continually comforted by the following understanding from the Spirit
of God.
God reaches whom HE will ... No matter where that person lives, if God wishes to reach that person HE will. That person can be totally surrounded by the worship of idols and God can still reach that person ... We have an example of this in our church group. Pam Padgett was raised Catholic, totally surrounded by idols. She is the elect of God, the chosen of God and God reached her by HIS Spirit which is not limited by flesh. (She left the Catholic Church.)
So I believe each person who is the elect will be reached by God's spirit one way or another.
We as humans get on fire to do more and more and more ... and this
certainly is the mercy of God to give us something to do on this earth! And it
is our greatest delight to do it.
When God authors a work, I have found there is a way is there to do that work. But sometimes we, as human, start a work that may even be authored by God and then our flesh sees more and more and more and if we fail to control our flesh and submit everything to God and establish what is really of Him, we can end up in big financial trouble in the ministry and then some ministers begin begging humans to pay for "their" works which seem like good works.
But Jesus warned:
21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Mt. 7
If that "wonderful work" is authored by your own flesh, it is not really a wonderful work even if it seems a wonderful work.
If you have to beg for money from others to pay for that work, that work is not of God.
Joan Boney
========================================================================