Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
The people of this world are like a bird trapped in a house. It flies into one wall and then another wall then another wall, just darting from one thing to another thing, wearing itself out to no avail.
We, who are risen with Christ, are not like the world. We know our life is in Christ and not in what we accomplish on this earth, though we once were like this world putting our faith in ourselves and what we could do. Now we are dead to this world and alive to God. God changed us from death to life. Now our life is in Christ and not in achievements of ourselves and others on this earth. Nor is our life in that which we accumulate on this earth. We may have little. We may have much. But regardless our life is in Christ and not in accumulations.
I Tim. 6 ... But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
Do we have food? Do we have raiment? Why strive for more? This earth and all these things are ordained to pass away. Our human bodies will pass away. Why strive over that which is ordained to be destroyed?
At the time we are baptized, we are buried with Christ. We are dead with Christ. Our flesh is crucified with Christ. The life we once had on this earth ends.
When we come out of the water it is like being raised with Christ. The old man is dead. There is a new creation which is made to serve God.
Col. 3 ... If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
I am very aware of my assignment and the reason I am still on this earth. I have only one reason for being on this earth and this is to exhort the church in the ways of God.
Each of us have assignments while we live here. Some are married. Some have children and natural families. Their assignment while following God is to live in a godly way being examples in deed as those who belong to God and not to this world.
Several years ago, I had the following dream: I was traveling with a group of people. Our plane landed on a small island. It was hot. It was dirty. It was like a pineapple field. There were several children there. I realized they were planning to leave me on that island to care for those children. I said, "I won't stay ... I won't stay ... unless you want me to stay." They left. My assignment was to care for those children. There was a pastor and his wife on the island but they wouldn't come out of their house. My assignment was to care for the children of God and that is what I have done for 30+ years. It is undesirable to me. They are often dirty and I have to try to clean them up. It is hard work to care for children. But this is my assignment. And because I love the Word of God, I do it. And I am enabled by God to do the assignment God gives me. I lack nothing as I do this work.
If your assignment is a parent, you are enabled by God to do this work with the wisdom and ability provided by God. This is true for each assignment of God.
I Tim. 1:12 ... And I thank Christ Jesus our LORD who hath enabled me ...
enabled:
- give the authority and means to do something
- make possible
- make operational, activate
able means: giving the power, skill, means, opportunity to do something
When God gives the assignment, HE also gives us the means to do the assignment. We are given all that is needed. All we have to do is put our trust in God who assigned us the assignment and turn to HIM continually for wisdom, strength, power in the assignment