Called to Purpose

It is the heart of the Lord that we embrace the commission He has given us. He has called us to go boldly throughout the world and preach the mystery of righteousness. God has given the Gospel a voice that shall impact the nations through His word. By His word, the Body of Christ will be perfected and unified and it is by this oneness that the world will believe that Jesus was sent by God, and is indeed His Son.

Ephesians 4:11-16

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

It is through Apostolic Order that Christ is manifested in the earth. When our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ departed from the earth, He gave gifts to men and it is by these gifts that God is revealed in the earth. God has placed every member in the Body, and each supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part; and the supply thereof maketh increase of the Body unto the edifying of itself in love. God is simply saying that every member in the Body of Christ has a purpose to be fulfilled on the earth. It is when we all walk in our measure that Christ will be revealed to the nations.

Romans 12:3

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

God has dealt to every member a measure of faith. The measure of faith simply refers to the purpose that God has ordained a member to walk in. This means in order for the Body to function as it should, we must play our individual part in ministry. Let us consider the testimony of Elijah the prophet.

I Kings 17:7-16

7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

8 And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.

11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

12 And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

14 For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.

15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.

Elijah had been in hiding in the wilderness for many years because King Ahab sought to slay him. However after many years the Lord told Elijah that He had commanded a widow to sustain Him in Zarephath. Herein we see part of the purpose of the widow’s life: she was to make bread for the man of God. She understood her role, and saw it as precious because God was using her to accomplish His purpose in the land of Israel. Knowing this, she did it in reverence unto the Lord despite her financial condition. This is the mind that we must embrace as members of the body of Christ. We must see that each member has a specific purpose and if we do not give our supply to the Body our salvation has lost its worth.

John 15:2

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

We all have been called to bear fruit. The measure of faith of each member is to the ultimate glory of our Father. So let us walk in our measure and accomplish the purpose of Christ. This profound truth also deals with competition in the Body. Competition amongst Sons of God is a sign of division and that the Body is warring against itself. It is also very foolish to be competitive in the Body of Christ because God has dealt to every man a measure to glorify Him, and not man. If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? This is why the script instructs us to not think more highly of ourselves as we ought to. Let us take on the spirit of a servant and the heart of humility and do not compare ourselves with each other. Let our hearts be fixed on the purpose of God, rather than self gain.

Romans 12:4-8

4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

If there be gifts of the Pastorate, let them shepherd; if there be those that are called to intercession let them do so with all fear, unto the Lord. We all have been given a purpose. Knowing this, let us not sit back and anticipate a dramatic move of God from the heavens. We are the move of God; we are the Mystery of Christ. It is when we all come in the unity of the faith, working our ministry that Christ will be revealed to