Mark 8:34-35 ... And when he had called the people unto him with
his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let
him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For
whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his
life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
The only thing to be considered in the matter is the Word of God.
In approximately 1980, I had the following dream. I was traveling with a group of people. We landed on an island. It was hot. It was dirty. There were pineapple fields. When it was time to go it was obvious to me they intended to leave me there on that island. There were children on the island. I said, "I won't stay ... I won't stay here ..." Then I added, "Unless YOU want me to ..." They left me there to care for those children. There was a pastor and wife on island but they wouldn't come out of their house.
I knew this was God leaving me there to take care of those children in the church where the pastor wouldn't lay down his life to care for them.
Even today, 30+ years after that dream, I am reminded of that dream as one of my assignments from God. It helps me to keep doing the work assigned to me. And God gave me everything I needed to have to care for those children. I was given the spiritual gift of exhortation. Exhort means to urge earnestly by advice, warning. Often I will think I don't have anything and then I will remember one little thing and start writing and as I write so many things are brought forth ... It reminds me of Elijah and that little cloud that came before the rainfall. There had been no rain for 3 years ... And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. 42So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, 43And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. 44And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. 45And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. 46And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. I Kings 18
It is by faith that we take that one little step when we believe God has called something to our attention or has called us to do an assignment.
And to uphold The Word of God, we often have to lay down our own lives. But all that really matters is does God want me to say or to do that.
The world tries to find its life... to be all they can be ... to achieve all they can achieve.
But we are led a totally different way ...
Phil. 2 ... Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
We are all the church ... some are assigned by God to care for the church. It doesn't matter whether we are to sit in the church or care for the church. What does matter is for each of us to do faithfully the role assigned by God.
If you are married, you are assigned the role of caring for your mate and your children. You must do that faithfully even when you don't want to do it. You just take that step to do the work assigned you. And by faith you step out and God strengthens you even when you don't want to do the assignment.
And some are assigned to care for the church ... Eph. 4 ... When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Unfortunately I've met many who want to be ministers without being called by God to be a minister. They just want to be such. And some are looking for a ministry to do without being called by God to do such. And some find ministries which are not really of God and they wreck havoc in the church and in their own lives and in the lives of their families.
Heb. 4 ... For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: 2Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. 3And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. 4And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 5So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
Each of us must know our assignments and remain faithful to do our assignments and often that assignment is laying down our own lives to do the assignment. And that assignment may not appeal to us but we, like Christ, are convinced it is what God assigned and therefore, like Christ, we do it ... Jesus said, concerning HIS life ... Jn. 10:18 ... No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
And if God assigned the role to us, God will uphold us and equip us fully for the assignment. And when that is the case, all we do is faithfully do the assignment until our death or until Jesus returns for the church. We do it on days when we rejoice over the assignment. And we do it on days when we do not want to do the assignment. And all is done by faith in God.
Josh. 1:9 ... Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.