R1658 The Believers Qualification

In this wonderful season of Thanksgiving November season. We are so grateful God's will is his living Word, the Bible itself, that's right, this is a program called The Encouraging Word. As we gain insight and encouragement Scriptures today will be headed to Colossians with our teacher Dr. Don Wilton well-known author evangelist similar professor and pastor and the pastor for the last 20 years of Dr. Billy Graham as we remember the great legacy of Dr. Billy Graham. We remember the call to spend time in God's word every day. Thank you for joining us for this time will open the Colossians chapter 1 verse 25. In just a moment to visit our website, you can sign up to study every day with a wonderful devotional Dr. Don Wilton you via email that's online@twonline.org again TW online.org sign up for the free daily devotional today Dr. Don Wilton Bibles to the book of Colossians we going to be in chapter 1, and we going to focus on one Colossians chapter 1 I'm going to read to you three verses, but we gonna focus really on one verse, and not like you to open your Bibles puts it like this in Colossians chapter 1 in verse 25 and he puts himself in the same. He says I verse 525. I have become servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness. The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and for generations but is now disclosed to all believers to examine the believers. God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you the hope of glory. May God give us an understanding of these would I want to speak to you today on the believers qualification whose qualified to serve the Lord, and I'm already telling you what the on street every person who calls on the name of the Lord is qualified. Everyone you have a role in the function in God's economy to be a major part of the blessing of the body for the sake of the church as Paul said in verse 24, so let's unpack what poll does Paul is a great leader and this is this is the apostle Paul looking at a group of people.

Believers and he shares with them his qualifications he he's telling the church at colossi, the basis upon which he poll is authorized to do and to say what he is saying and he gives full wonderful qualifications. The first thing he lets them or know according to poll is that he was a changed man. Qualification number one to serve the Lord. He was a changed man is a phrase there in verse 25 I have become that such a that such a beautiful phrase and you and I know so well the life of Paul the apostle member.

Remember back before he became Bible tells us you can read about it in the book of acts. For example, Paul actually he was leading in every other way, but not God's way. He was a blasphemer. I'll guarantee you with full money to give you guarantee you untenured Jesus Christ would've come out of his mouth as a blasphemy like you here everywhere around us, even from politicians and hopes. I didn't know I was on the microphone and you know poll was was persecuting the church.

He he was against the church. He was not a slave man. He was a he hated God's people.

He hated Jesus he hated the church.

90 was an extreme.

By the way Gordon Hughes uses people who were extreme against him, God turns them into extreme for him yeah Bible says he was on his way actually was going to Damascus and he had a mission he was going there to go and get a hold of a lot of these Christians and put them in jail. What happened to him. We know he ran headlong into the liturgy and he fell on his face before the Lord when he gave his heart and life to Jesus. Here's what happened to poll. He did a complete about-face. He was a changed man fact, the Bible confirms that in second Corinthians 517 the Bible says if any one any man or any woman or girl is in Christ, that person becomes a brand-new creation is anyone I have also come up to you and said to you. How do you know that you are Christian well Bibles got a lot of ways in which you can attest to your Christian faith. But you don't really need to go much further than changed. Changed what ever the you just different. You changed not about cussing on not cussing at just your heart is different change.

How did anyone try to explain the that you what are you doing today why you are you worshiping the Lord on a day like this. Excuse me half the world is not what why you bothering why do you bother to get dressed up in drive all the way in getting the traffic and go through 5 million raid lots that all out of sync with each other. Even at 6 o'clock in the morning. I don't need to see Kentucky fried chicken again. I've seen it, why, why did you do this.

My I'll tell you why you didn't could you change number two. He was an appointed man was on you change many was an appointed man Bible says I have become God's servant. Every believer gets appointed by God to be his servant is that any believer is not the servant of Jesus Christ and uniting them on his. Another way put if you're here today or listening.

If you do not serve Jesus but you believe that you're a believer, would you please stand on top problem I'm being funny. You know how how do you know Jesus and belong to Jesus and for in any other way. Posture yourself to be anything other than his servant, and that's all believers now. If we were going to unpack the meaning of of servant. In fact, in this context, the word here really is the words Jewett.

It carries the idea of serving the greatness of God in all of his glory, but the word the is in the Greek text doesn't matter to you is, all or a car know me yet or you call anomia, which brings together house and manager God holds all believers to be managers of his house to serve his house be stewards and and if you unpack the word stupid all servant in in the text means that a servant seeks no self glory. First Corinthians foresees that the security is trustworthy.

All of us have people many of us who work for us. The greatest distinction of someone who serves you, who works for you and your officer your home or wherever is that they trust with all I can trust Sullins above reproach is another word just above reproach tied to stills instead of of overseas need to be above reproach. Pull Talking about his own hole to serve the Lord spoke of this obligation in first Corinthians chapter 9 verse 60. He said listen, I am obliged to preach the gospel and of my family always get tickled with me because I I will tell my kids many many times will have a nice time on I go to go to church right now obliged you know you can look at me and say will you know you preach all the time every week every Sunday. It just never stops never stops. I get that folks, but I want you to know God told me to do this and I am obliged to my Savior. Not that that obligation brings me such joy. Thank you for giving me this privilege for allowing me to carry out my obligation is gone so are you with me. They thank you church when you called me here you afforded me the privilege and the the opportunity to carry out my obligation goes for me for Dawn servant. That's what I was called to amongst many other things, never singular phenomena show you that so Paul is talking about the qualifications for us for believers, one change number two appointment number three. He was commissioned while he uses the word in the text, commissioned by God.

He was a commissioned man and God's let's just get this God. This, I'm being personal time God God called me God commissioned me on Monday.I remember the phone call. My parents live 500 miles away. I remember calling sighing to my mother mom I believe God scold me into the gospel ministry.

My mother said yeah I know you and I thank you. I was she'd told me a few years before.

By the way, Karen said the same thing to me. She was married to.

She said all I can see you just took a little while to listen to what God was commissioning you to do some of us a little slower than others. I'm sorry he was a commissioned man and the word commission means that God has produced you is specially designed to be a servant to the body.

He's produced you is specially designed commission for a specific purpose.

You may be gifted in player piano, you may sing in the choir. You may serve tables you may be engaged in missions.

You may be gifted at writing books like so many in our congregation. You may be gifted. Listen folks that little word commission. They it carries with it in a sense you know I love watching all the stuff of the Queen and in all these knots and that person you have always wondered why I haven't had a cold to get knighted.

I'd love to be cold soon Dawn, I think it's gotta ring to it. But you know what, when, when people who are knighted by the Queen and the British Empire that they kneel down in in front of her in the palace and she gets her sword and she taps them on each shoulder and she bestows that on them. Great on how much more of an honor when God commissions us. There is a very real sense in which you and I on meeting with face down in the ground before a holy and a righteous God, and by his grace. He is commissioning us all of us believe is the body of believers, the church is a commissioned frame.

Listen to me talk on the zipper getting our marching orders is forgive the interruption will be back with the rest of today's message from Dr. Don Wilton in just a moment, but he wants me to remind you we are here for you. Would love to pray with you and for you anytime day or night 866-899-WORD connect with when I was happy to talk or pray or connect with resources that number again 866-899-9673. Of course we can connect on her website as well as tewonline.org G that's the place to discover great resources like this right now driving your car sitting in the comforts of your own, or listening wherever you are and where is God is and plan for your life remains intact. 19. Your gift is Encouraging Word will receive two powerful resources.

Dr. Wilton a wonderful help in the life-changing meaning both of these resources will and how are you strong in your faith and conviction not so normal color 866-899-WORD 869-9973 request wonderful help in the bonus DVD the risen Encouraging Word as of your listeners ministry thinking very listening today. Again, that's is one of many great resources. As we look ahead to the holidays.

I pray you consider Dr. Wilton's book called Saturdays with Billy about his 20+ year of experience of being Dr. Graham's personal pastor. It is a powerful, warm and loving book again makes a great Christmas present. I pray you consider getting your copy on our website@twonline.org that's tewonline.org he dial back today's great teaching Dr. Don Wilton so Paul is talking about qualifications number one change number two appointment by God number three commission and number four, number four, he was driven look what he says here he was a driven man, it says here, God gave me to present you. That's what he does. He drives you to the point of his good pleasure God enters. You'll live by his spirit takes over as the captain of your body of your life and God now in charge of the wheel.

He's the engine that drives you he drives you to weigh.

He has determined you best fit to serve him.

Now we going to get into spiritual giftedness because all of us the gift and God has no gift lists children. None is not one of us that's not gifted of the Lord, you can have one gift you can have multiple gifts it.

It's no different in a secular way. When you look at your own children, moms and dads. I began today in Genesis, dedicating two of the most beautiful little boys. Emmett and Sheppard Williams twins only reason I knew which one was Emmett in which one was Sheppard's because they mother Kate had them so I would just may not. It's a surprise. I'm here right now. They were just so beautiful these little fellows and that one hadn't even the other one had and is that's how I knew which one was which and you know you can go and talk to Todd and K2 who are just choice couples serving the Lord your nonchurch I'm just telling you I'm I'm telling you folks, I'm telling you something.

Some of you want understand those two little legs.

Emmett and Sheppard all absolutely identical that this big, they look exactly the same to me. I cannot figure I'd take me a year. My twins are 10 years old.

I can't tell them apart was to bow down to you go to their mother, Kate. I'll guarantee you she can already tell you, excuse me dad you, you're out of this because most dads just dummies okay just right, not if I can just tell you I promise you they mother notes you go North Jordan Kramer. He goes through this all the time with these two little ones.

Lori knows all about them and he just goes and he just accepts it. But he sure loves them. He loves them. Where is God driven you but you will giftedness you know when when when God takes you and he uses you. You know what you noted implies when you are driven by God into a specific zone.

It carries with it the idea of a concerted effort single minded devotion direct focus on a toss.

This is good stuff.

It carries with the commitment to the whole counsel of God.

It also carries the idea of understanding your limits. Just keep one from understand your limits in the church. There is something some of you are not good at you not gifted you. You do yourself, not an in your family as a husband and wife determine your greatest strengths and tapping to those you miss one of the greatest blessings and you spend your whole life trying to figure out because you have to do it all.

This something you are not, it's not that we can't do it me tell you in the body of Christ like us folks we got gifted people in almost every from finances to buildings to construction the colors to communications and end of worship and preaching and teaching and arming windows when you submissions. All of these things and watch this.

This is the body all coming together on the headship of Jesus because we are his servants and he puts all of us to work and the body functions.

According to his glory. So he gives to us full qualifications for me.

You know, I've I know I sounds 40. I know God called me, I'm a changed man. He appointed me to be his servant for the sake of the body. He commission me and he drove me to the point of my giftedness. This is this is the assignment that I have for you and by the way, gifts grow and and as you mature in the faith you develop more and more gifts and abilities and you are so valued we need each other, standing together as one people in this world. Otherwise, we just the United States Congress bad that I yet got yet it yada give me a beach you never get anyway.

Jesus said, let me show you how the body of Christ works. We've got two zones of Thanksgiving today in one church like us. I pray this is true of every church, Bible believing church. Number one or now thanks goes to Jesus, can I give you number two. Thank you, thank you bow your heads with me from are you part of this body have you trusted Jesus as your Savior. Give your life to him.

You might say to me today will foster how do I become part of the body of Christ will God says that's right confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, and you will you looking for change. You want something more in life. Jesus changes as what is done for me. He does the same thing for you and then once he does that he deploys us, uses us such a wonderful way when a powerful time of teaching and preaching with Dr. Don Wilton and moments ago when Dr. Wilson was leaving and that prayer wasn't you and your heart agreeing with the need to say yes to Jesus Christ. Maybe for the first time or maybe read dedicating your life coming home to the body of believers. That is, the church, we want to know were excited to decision God is making in your life and the power you are seeing become a new creature in him.

Dr. Wilson has wonderful resources. If you've given your life to Christ or we dedicated your life that he wants you to have resources that will help you grow your faith.

Just pick up the phone to give us a call at 866899 word that's 866-899-9673 to receive your free information on what's going on in your life as you develop this relationship with Jesus Christ and maybe if you have questions.

Would love to walk through those and pray for those as well. At 86689673 on our website at tewonline.org G that's tewonline.org you before you get away closing thoughts from our pastor Dr. Don Wilton not just before we the Lord is put in my heart today. Pray for you know that's something that I can do for one another, but I just want you that prayer is so critical. You know that the Lord Jesus not only is our prayer that he wants is out, pray to God like to pray for you today. You love the Lord, I know things going on in your life. Let's talk to the Lord Jesus heavenly father right now I want to present to you my friend who is searching looking longing needing crying out to you. I just pray Lord Jesus even through the lens of this camera that by your spirit you would touch this person's on so that prayer right now fulfill that need come down in the power of your spirit. Manifest yourself. I'm praying this in the strong name of Jesus we believe in prayer. You are the Christ, the son of the living God. God, hear my prayer for my friends in Jesus name, amen, amen. And please know we love to pray with you anytime day or night is Dr. Don says we all need to a.m. friends. So when you call 866899673 anytime day or night to find what it was ready to talk and listen and pray with you and connect with wonderful resources. Again, like I mentioned earlier like the book from Dr. Don Wilton call Saturdays with Billy. You'll find the details on our website at tewonline.org