Conference yukon::christian_v7

    Wow!  Isn't God neat?  He knows our requests before we even ask.  It's
    things like this that just strengthen our faith in Him.
    
    I will be praying that God would confirm His calling upon you as you
    seek Him and abide in Him.  I don't know what God's call is upon you,
    but I do know that His strength is perfected in our weakness.  If He
    has called you, He will speak through you and His perfect love will
    cast out all fear.
    
    Love in Him,
    
    Bing

    Ummm...I only have a New Testament with me, but wasn't Moses afraid and
    didn't he try to talk God out of using him?
    
    In His love,
    
    Rebecca

Hello Richard, 

The pastoral calling is not 'just' preaching; it is tending the flock. Caring
for the people.  Loving them into a deeper walk with the LORD, by example. 

The preaching burden comes from this.  The Word burns in your heart; you see
from it what is needed in people's hearts, and it preaches itself when you
open your mouth.  Glorious, exciting and exhausting - but so fulfilling!

Don't try to do it in your strength, but be ready for the LORD to open the way 
and the opportunity.  Your part is to be ready to respond; not to force the 
issue.  If there are opportunities to learn about the role, these are usually 
from man's wisdom, but may still be useful, interesting - even helpful!  But 
the true pastor is made in the heart, by God.

Attend to the Word.  It is profitable for all things, as you know, and asking
the LORD will open it to you in the way you need, to become what He has for
you to be.  Don't be afraid that you will find yourself in a position which is
uncomfortable; that a public ministry will be forced upon you.  The essence of 
pastoring is individual and personal.  Letting the LORD speak through you to 
each individual.  If you have occasion to speak to a small group, He will give 
the words, just as He does on an individual basis.  You will find that giving 
*His* words in this situation is nothing like giving your own.  Fear is taken 
away, because His perfect love reigns in what He has to give.

Let the LORD bring about what He has promised.  It is His promise, not man's.  
His desire, not yours.  All He asks from you is willingness to follow.  In 
doing so you will find joy, satisfaction, fulfillment, peace.

� How would any of you handle such a prophecy?

Wait on the LORD for His confirmation in my heart.  If I couldn't face the 
whole task, maybe just each stage at a time.  Ask for Him to light up the Word 
to my heart, where He would speak to  me on this.  Expect a confirmation, and 
a sense of being held to the idea; of not being able to get away from it in my 
mind.  Not from fear - that's the enemy - but with a growing sense of 
acceptance.  

If it feels bad in the heart, if the thought is accompanied with a sick 
feeling, or fear, or both... it is likely a suggestion of the enemy.  Ask the 
LORD to lift it.  I do not feel that this applies in this case.

If it just doesn't click - no feeling either way, and is easily forgotten -
then it's likely to be purely of man.  Forget it.  If it *was* of God in this
case, He'll make sure you realise it more strongly at the right time.  I don't
feel that this applies here either.

� How do you know your calling?
By the LORD's quiet insistence in an area of life; by a developing appetite
for a work which superficially might seem totally alien to your nature (maybe
the retiring nature led into a public ministry, or the 'public' type tending a
more private concern), yet answers an eternal void in the heart...

By waiting and listening.  It is likely to be constantly developing and 
changing - moving on.  Or staying where he has for you until a work is done...

� I always felt if God wanted me to be a preacher I'd have a Moses experience.
I have a friend who waited 11 years for the Damascus road experience he felt 
was needed for conversion.  God doesn't deal with everyone the same; we are 
individuals, and He knows it better than we do ourselves - after all, He gave 
uas our character from creation, and made such a thrillingly glorious
and exciting variety of personalities to populate His kingdom with...

God already has a Moses.  He's still developing His Richard Plourde, His Andrew 
Yuille, and so many others.....

						God bless
								Andrew

� Ummm...I only have a New Testament with me, but wasn't Moses afraid and
� didn't he try to talk God out of using him?

Too right, Rebecca!  To the point of God being angry with him :

                                                        Exodus 4:13-14

And it was only when Moses had run out of excuses that he tried this blunt
refusal...

                                                Andrew

    RE: Moses - Yes, he gave several excuses as to why he could not be
    God's servant, slow of speech, not eloquent....  The bottom line is God
    said GO and I will be with you.
    
    RE: .0 -
    
    One of the things that I am convinced of is that when Paul and Barnabas
    received their commission to begin their missionary work by laying on
    of hands and prophecy that they already knew from God that they were
    called.  The prophecy was a confirmation.  You said that you have felt
    that you were called but unsure (and afraid) of this calling.  I can
    relate to both of these things.  When I was 14 I 'knew' that God had
    called me to ministry but at that time I took it as an indication that
    I was supposed to evangelize my school.  While very zealous my
    ignorance of the Word got me into a lot of trouble.  Years later God
    brought this sense of 'knowing' back to me.  In a way saying, "Okay,
    it's time now."  All I can say is that if you are called to ministry
    you will be miserable if you don't.  There is within me a drive (I call
    it a sense of urgency) that compels me to ministry.  God has confirmed
    this ministry and given me direction through the years through the gift
    of prophecy but nothing is as important as that inward witness of the
    Holy Spirit that you are called to public ministry.  My advice is to
    prepare for ministry, study to show yourself approved, get on your face
    before God and seek His will, direction and anointing, look for
    opportunities where God has opened doors for you to begin ministering
    and don't lose focus on what God has called you to.  If Satan can not
    stop you from going into ministry then he will surely try to guide you
    away from God's perfect place of service.  Finally, let me remind you
    Moses was scared, Gideon was scared, the disciples were scared but God
    said that He would be with them.  Never be afraid that you are not able
    because you're not (none of us are) but God is faithful and He will do
    it through you.  Trust Him, rest in Him and He will direct your path.
    
    In Him,
    
    Kent
    

    Richard, 
    
    Praise God for this calling on your life.  I agree with what Andrew has
    written regarding a pastor... but went back and re-read your note and
    you said called into preaching.  Perhaps it's semantics, but a preacher
    can be an evangelist too!  Which doesn't require the shepherding.
    
    Know your heart and while God can change anyone into anything he wants,
    ask for wisdom to use your God-given talents to their fullest
    abilities and let God add the rest! :-)
    
    Love in Him,
    Nancy

Hi Nancy,

The prophesy was to be a pastor, which Richard read to mean preaching.
I was in part trying to clarify the distinction. 

						love
								Andrew

    Sorry Rew... :-)  I love you too!

    I second what Andrew said, pray for confirmation in your heart.  Also
    pray that God will prepare you for whatever calling you have and that
    the opportunities will be presented so that you can serve Him.
    
    It's funny how God works in the lives of believers.  Over the past few
    months, I've felt God placing a calling on my heart.  Looking back, I 
    can see Him preparing me.  I've even had a couple opportunities to serve 
    Him in that capacity.  Call me slow, but sometimes I feel like I could 
    use more confirmation ;-)
    
    Mike

    The reason I focused on the reference to Moses' experience in Richard's
    note is because I think it brings up an important issue. So often, we
    want a direct "word from God" - I've often wished He'd pop a note in my
    mailbox. But, Moses had a conversation with a burning bush and still
    tried to talk God out of what He wanted Moses to do, and Jonah also
    had direct direction from God, and he ran, was swallowed and spit up by
    a big fish and still had an attitude about God wanted Him to do...would
    it really make a difference if I found a letter from God in my mailbox,
    or would I question whether that was really God's handwriting and maybe
    it was supposed to be addressed some other Rebecca Sinatra, or maybe I
    was reading into what it *really* meant....
    
    In reading Richard's note I see these things - that he has thought
    about and even seen himself as a pastor, that he is seeking after God,
    that he went forward with a specific question which was answered before
    it was even asked, and in note 599 I see questions raised for him about
    why various people in pain have come to him seeking support and
    counsel. I also see fear. I agree with everything that's been said
    here, about prayer, about taking steps in preparation, etc. I would
    also encourage you, Richard, to really look at and meditate upon the
    things God *has* been telling you and to confront your fear. We know
    that fear is never from God - so take it to Him and ask Him to expose
    it for what it really is. 
    
    A calling is a calling specific to that individual, which is why no one
    but you can answer the question of whether you have one or not. You
    must trust yourself, that you are able to hear His voice, and you must
    trust Him, to move you forward and to guide your every step.
    
    To second something Ken said, one of my favorite passages is from George 
    MacDonald's children's book At the Back of the NorthWind. In it the 
    mother ask Little Diamond how he knows what his work is. His reply 
    goes something along the lines of "I know it's my work because when I do 
    it, I feel all right, and when I don't I feel all wrong."
    
    Rebecca  
    

      Hi Richard,
    
        How ya doing?
    
        Well, Andrew's and Kent's replies certainly appear like good
        wise counsel to me!
    
        The only thing I want to say is that a lot of times I think
        we all get a conviction and we can suppress it by filling our
        minds with a lot of our own thoughts.  Its my 'bet' that now and
        then you might catch yourself in a moment where your mind is
        free of your own ideas and in that moment, the conviction of the
        Lord is often so plain that you can't really deny it.  Identify
        those experiences if you can.
    
        Let your mind be as empty a vessel in terms of your own anxieties
        etc. and in that experience be open and honest as to what the
        convictions are in those times.  And acknowledge them!
    
                                                  God Bless,
    
                                                  Tony

    Hi,
    
    Firstly I would like to state that the prophet would confirm what God
    has given you in your spirit before hand.
    Now depending on what it is, that which God has placed in you, would be
    confirmed by the prophet.
    However some say God called me to marry 20 women and have children from
    all of them then I will question that, But if the Lord said You Are
    called to preach the gospel then he will equipe you to do just that.
    
    
    You can also ask God to confirm it, there is nothing wrong with that.
    
    God Bless you.
    
    Frank Reid-Robertson
    Johannesburg JHB South Africa

Amen, Frank - and welcome!  I don't think we've met before - in fact I
don't recall anyone coming in from Johannesburg before, so I believe you've
got a first there!  Good to see you!

Agreed that any call or command from the LORD must first be tested against 
scripture...

 					God bless you
							Andrew (in the UK)

    Hi Frank!!! Welcome!! How exciting to have someone from Johannesburg in
    here!  Can you introduce yourself in topic 5???
    
    Thanks,
    Nancy