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DEGREE OF MINISTRY

THE TRUE CALLING ON YOUR LIFEIn knowing your calling, and understanding the will of God in your life, one must be strong andable to be obedient to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. NLCOM & UECA Family is trulydedicated in developing, sharing, teaching and empowering all those who has heard the calling ofbeing a minister of God... We strive to teach the very best in spiritual education, and pastorcounseling, so each individual is able to be effective in their calling, as well as be a major source tothose who are in need.

It takes more to be a minister of God, then just receiving a piece of paper, and being appointed as a

minister. It takes the anointing of the Father, the blood of Jesus, and blessing of the Holy Spirit, tolead you and grant you the power and wisdom to all you can by the will of God, and not by yourown will to be a strong and passionate leader in Christ. Not everyone who is called to lead will

function properly as a leader if they don't allow the Father, lead them first.In stating that, that is why we teach our entire minister to go first in pray before they make anytype of major decisions. To call upon the Holy Spirit to understand the next avenue in their life theymust walk, and to trust in the Lord when they need to build upon the rock God has place beforethem.

STEP #1

A good minister of Christ Jesus will teach sound doctrine.This is the first thing Paul mentions (1 Timothy 1:3), and compare 1 Timothy 4:1 and 4:6. Seriousheresy was endangering the Church at Ephesus, and Paul told Timothy to stay at his place of dutyand warn and instruct the members of the Church in the pure doctrine of the gospel. A goodminister will do this, especially when he recognizes that he is living and laboring for the Lord inlater times, when many have departed from the faith and when there are deceiving spirits onevery hand and many are teaching things taught by demons. A good minister will nourish hissoul in the truth of Gods Word, so that he is able to instruct others. We must recognize that we areliving in the times of great apostasy of which the Apostle wrote, of which Jesus spoke in Mark13:22, and to which we have references in 1 John 4:6 and Revelation 13:11. On every hand today weare faced with liberalism and teaching that is not true to Gods Word. A good minister will study

the scriptures; he will become immersed in the great doctrines of the faith, to which he will holdtenaciously and which he will teach constantly, as Paul did (Acts 20:26-31).

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STEP #2

A good minister of Christ Jesus is engaged in spiritual warfare.Read 1 Timothy 1:18-19, and compare 1 Timothy 6:12 and 2 Timothy 4:7. Paul speaks to Timothy asa commanding officer would speak to one of his officers. Timothy must be prepared to fight. Aminister in particular is involved in a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:10-20), and he needs thequalities of a soldier if he is to be victorious. To get to know all the schemes and tactics of the Devilone has only to take a position of leadership in a local Church or on a mission board. Why is this?

Satan is a powerful foe and he is doing his utmost to disrupt the work of God. If a minister is tocombat the Enemy successfully, two weapons are needed see verse 19 of 1 Timothy 1. They are:(1) faith, which means a firm, deep trust in God and in what He is doing, that He will have the lastword, and that ultimately He will overthrow all the power of the Devil; and (2) a good conscience,that is, a conscience void of offence (Acts 24:16). A good minister must practice what he preaches.

STEP #3A good minister of Christ Jesus will set an example to others.

This is mentioned in 1 Timothy 4:12. Some people might think that Timothy was too young to be aminister, but Timothy could silence all criticism by his Christ-like conduct. The first duty of aminister is not to preach, to teach, to visit or to comfort, but it is to display in his own life the truthhe believes and teaches. This is what Paul meant in 1 Timothy 4:12 and he mentions five areaswhere a minister is to be an example to others.

STEP #4

A good minister of Christ Jesus will devote himself to study.In 1 Timothy 4:13-16 the reference is to the public reading of Scripture and to preaching andteaching compare Luke 4:16; Acts 13:15; 2 Corinthians 3:14; and also Nehemiah 8:3-4. Aminister, however, must be faithful in his private reading and devotions before ever he appears in

public. He must be diligent (verse 13); he must not be neglectful (verse 14); he must bewholehearted (verse 15); and above all he must watch himself (verse 16), which means that hemust take great care of his inner life. How important it is for ministers to be conscientious in theirstudy and preparation for their work, in the discharge of all their responsibilities, and above all inthe matter of prayer and the cultivation of a close walk with God!

STEP #5

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A good minister of Christ Jesus will be careful about his relationships with theopposite sex.This is a delicate matter, but it is brought before us in 1 Timothy 5:11-13. Sadly, for want of care inthis area many of Gods servants have ruined their ministry! In this chapter the Apostle speaksmost graciously of the women-folk the young, the old and the widows; but he warns Timothy

about some women who are a great danger, not only to a Church as a whole, but to the minister inparticular. However, it is not always the fault of the women when a minister gets involved in somesituation that dishonors the Lord, for some Christian men are careless and even reckless. Let usremember that in all our relationships we are to act and speak as Christ Himself would act andspeak.

STEP #6A good minister of Christ Jesus will take care of his body.

We see this in 1 Timothy 5:23. It is important to notice that the Apostle recommends a little wineand he also says, use a little. He is obviously speaking of wine as a medicine, and, as onecommentator says, Paul gives Timothy a dietetic prescription for a weak digestion. Everyminister and every Christian should have very settled views and habits with regard to strongdrink, but the point we are stressing here is that Paul was very concerned that Timothy shouldtake care of his body. It is a solemn duty for Christians to do this (1 Corinthians 6:19). We cannotdo our best work if we are overtired and nervy. We must have regular habits of eating, sleepingand of taking exercise and recreation, and we must try to take time off, or we shall break one ofGods commandments. Resist the temptation to burn the candle at both ends.

STEP # 7A good minister of Christ Jesus will live and work in the light of the Judgment Seatof Christ.We see this in 1 Timothy 6:13-14. As he lives and serves, he will remember that one day he mustgive an account to his Lord of the way he has lived, and he will then receive his reward, or hewill suffer loss look up 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, and compare 2 Timothy 4:8.