Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Jesus said ...Mk. 13 ... 34For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Jesus is warning each of us to be steadfast in the work HE has given us.
The "Master" is "away" and HE has assigned us, HIS servants, a role to play on this earth. And HE has given us the authority necessary to do this work to which we have been assigned by HIM. We start in the work but we must also finish the work, holding fast the work given us until HE returns, until Jesus returns. When HE returns will HE find us doing our job?
I have been given assignment to care for the church and to exhort the church. It is very discouraging to me to have people who have been with me for many years show the opposite of the things we have taught by the Spirit of God. "What's the use in exhorting when they are so far from real faith and faith is what we have displayed all these years." I think I would quit the work except for one thing. It was God who told me to do what I am doing. What they do with the word I've spoken is not really my responsibility. My responsibility is to do that which God has persuaded me is my assignment and to be faithful to God. I have to keep my vision on being faithful to God to do what HE wants me to do. This causes me to be steadfast in the work.
Jesus said to God, "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." Jn. 17:4 Jesus was faithful to God unto death. Jesus was steadfast, always doing the work assigned to Him. Jesus didn't seek the praise of man on this earth. Had HE been seeking the praise of man HE would not have been able to do the work assigned HIM by God. Jesus always sought to please God the Father. Doing the will of God on this earth is all that matters.
You cannot know the will of God unless you have the Spirit of God for it is the Spirit of God who searches the heart of God to find out God's will in the matter at hand and the Spirit of God shows us what God wants us to do and to say moment by moment as we live on this present earth. (I Cor. 2)
Paul said of himself: For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. II Tim. 4
Paul did the assignment given him by God and continued doing such to the end of his life. Thus Paul "kept the faith in God", continuing to do that which God showed him to do on this present earth.
I know my assignment. Each of us have different responsibilities and we must know that assignment given us by God. Some are assigned a part in the church to care for the church as apostle/prophet/evangelist/pastor/ teacher (Eph. 4) ... Not all are assigned these roles to care for the church. Some are. I Cor. 12: 28And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. 29Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? I Cor. 12 ... Paul is telling us not everyone is an apostle ... not everyone is a prophet ... not everyone is a teacher ... some are assigned these role in the church to care for the body of Christ in the church.
But everyone is assigned something. You may have the role of husband or wife. You may have the role of parent. Some have both assignments in the natural family and in the church. Living a godly life at all times is our assignment, seeking the will of God, doing the will of God ... living godly, in truth and holiness, doing what is right in the sight of God from your heart in front of all.
In a great house, there are various servants. There might be a cook ... there might be a kitchen helper ... there might be a butler ... Each servant does his/her own assignment and keeps doing it. And when the master is away, that servant must continue in that assignment in good faith, remaining faithful to the master.. And so it is with us as the church. We don't say, "Oh master is away so I'll do my job tomorrow." Nor do we allow ourselves to be discouraged. We cannot allow ourselves to say it does no good to do what I do. Our success in that which we do on this earth is never measured by that which people do with what we have shared. Our responsibility is to share that which God gives us and to continue to share that which we believe to be from God. Then we remain faithful to God, to HIM who called us and gave us the assignment.
And we have the following promise of God in the Bible ...
I Cor. 15:58 ... be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.