If I were to quit my job today, and I believe that God had a plan for me, other than laboring 40hrs a week with sinners, and sinning in the way that all I work there for is the money.... Do you think God will bring me into ministry?? Or is it a gradual thing?
2006-09-06 18:59:25 · 25 answers · asked by clint_lewin 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The Bible says: "For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either." --2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NASB)
If you don't know such a simple thing as this what good do you think you would be in a ministry. Having grown up in the home of a minister, let me assure you that it is a HUGE amount of work, all of the time, for not much money, sometimes not enough.
And where did you get the idea that you should not be working with sinners. Did not Jesus go and spend His time with sinners? He sought them out. He made them His disciples and followers. He made a point of telling His disciples that this is what they were to do. The religious leaders (the Pharisees and Sadducee's,) made fun of Him for doing so. They even tried to say it was sin for Him to have fellowship with them. But Christ rebuked them.
Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, "Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?" But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. "But go and learn what this means: 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." --Matthew 9:10-13 (NASB)
You need to spend much time in prayer and much time in reading the Bible. You have much to learn. It may grate your soul to be in the presence of sin but there is no avoiding it while we are in the flesh. The Bible tells us that we are camped in enemy territory.
God does have a plan for you but it does not involve being foolish. If you want another job start looking. You bills don't care how many sinners you have to work with. Neither does your hungry family if you have one. But do understand that when you get to the next job it will be filled with flawed humans as well. Even if it were at a church it would be as well. Different flaws perhaps but getting saved does not make one perfect. When Christ resurrects us, only then will we be made perfect.
When you are looking at the sinners around you, it is worthwhile to remember this scripture also:
Do not judge so that you will not be judged.
"For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." --Matthew 7:1-5 (NASB)
God has a plan for you that includes ministry but that does NOT necessarily mean full-time ministry or being a pastor. Most likely NOT. He may well mean for you to be in the mission field of the work place--living a life before others that would cause them to want to know what there is about you that makes you different. Living a life that reflects Him in all things.
2006-09-06 19:33:04 · answer #1 · answered by bigrob 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes, quit your job Im sure God will like you better if you draw unimployement and sit in your house all day doing nothing and after you finish you unemployement benefits dont get another job just go ahead and draw food stamps, wellfare and also make sure you make a few kids too so you can get WIC and housing trough seccion 8. After all using other peoples tax money is not wrong through some peoples eyes, or better yet you can do like kung fu and travel all arround the world with a back pack preaching and fighting evil with your strong moral teachings and martial arts. Now after you analize my options, what do you think? God dont want that for nobody cause God rewards hard work and if your consern is finding time for God, the week has more than 40 hours so you have enough time to dedicate your life to God. And about working with sinners, dude we all sinners thats why jesus sacrifise himself in the cross so that at the end of the day all your sins are forgiven. Shoot you'll find more sinners in some churches that in a night club, remember God is not a religion or a particular church, God is the Alfa and Omega, the creator and if he worked hard to create the universe and us who are you to not work for you future. Just think about it and let it marinate there for a second
2006-09-06 19:32:43 · answer #2 · answered by BulletproofBori 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Ministry is not apart from the world but in it. Jesus was not worried about getting dirty when he came here and His call to us is much the same. Pray that God would fill you with purpose in the place that you are in and that your job would go beyond a means of making money and become a place where you can be a blessing and a positive and life bringing influence. Be in ministry where you are. Ministry is not an occupation or a goal as much as who you are or need to be as we become more like Jesus and that can be done anywhere. I have nothing against trusting God or quitting a job to serve the Lord, but I think that as you mature where you are that you will learn to recognize the Lord's leading more clearly if that is His direction for you at some point.
2006-09-06 19:20:07 · answer #3 · answered by bigtree 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The Bible says that if man does not want to work, he shouldn't eat. If you are going to be a minister, you should be concerned with what God has to say about this issue. What confuses me is you saying that you are sinning because you work for money? You are not doing anything illegal....are you? If not, you don't have to worry that you are doing anything wrong in God's eyes.
If it is God's will that He bring you into the ministry, He will find a way. Until then, do not quit your job. Wait for direction from the Lord and keep praying about it.
2006-09-06 19:22:23 · answer #4 · answered by Marie 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You must receive CHRIST as your savior first, before anything else that you have listed... Then you trust GOD.... JESUS said, "I am the way the truth and the life; no one comes to the FATHER except by me. Jn 14:6. As for the ministry thing being a gradual thing or not... lets just say that when first some one is born again they enter GODS school of advancement at kindergarten level.
~GOD BLESS YOU AND LEAD YOU INTO ALL TRUTH~
2006-09-06 19:17:05 · answer #5 · answered by wordman 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Why can't you trust God while you work. Just because you think all the other people there are sinners, doesn't mean you have to be. FREEDOM OF CHOICE - don't preach to them just co exist, let their remarks slide and just do your work. Pursue your destiny in your spare time and you will find what you are looking for while still being able to feed yourself.
Hope this helps.
2006-09-06 19:08:50 · answer #6 · answered by CLOCKWORK 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well God does not want you to quit your job or stop taking care of yourself. He says that your body is your temple, so you need to take care of it and He also sas that you must follow the rules of the land. My point is that God doesn't want you to just stop your whole life. I would suggest just following your faith and applying it to your daily life. If in time you feel like ministry is your calling then pursue it.
2006-09-06 19:06:01 · answer #7 · answered by Anthony L 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think there was enough sound advice there (amidst all the loving jesting) to answer your question. If you wish to be in ministry, begin now within your job, praying for God to help you to grow more and more into His love so that those people He died for at your current work can see Christ in you and come to Him. The Christian walk is not for sissys. The price for following Christ is still what it was 2000 years ago - everything. But, boy, is it worth it!
Note to a few remarks: God is most amazing. For ten years I served Him in ministry and believed He would bless me. One day a friend jokingly asked, "If God's so great, why doesn't He give you a car?" My thought was, "Duh!" But I responded, "...probably because (being raised in Brooklyn and a bit lazy) I can't drive." Today I am blessed with an AWESOME family (husband, kids - you know, the good stuff) and though we only bring in $1500 a month, we were given,yep, given, a $250,000 house in the mountains. Of course the problem with unbelief, is that even if you DO see Christ risen from the dead, you refuse to believe. How sad, but my prayer is that you will be free from the slavery of Satan and come to know that Christ really does exist and really does love you and want you to be free. But, like I said, it's not for the timid of heart. Becoming a Christian means laying down everything before the Lord and "taking up your cross and (following) Christ." You'll be made fun of, you might lose good friends, you give up sins that you might like (He's willing to help you though - had a friend come out of 15 years of cocaine addiction without a withdrawal - pretty awesome). You have to give up all the things you cling to for joy and peace - you know,you're miserable enough through the day to have to go drinking at night to feel good - yep, gotta give it all up to God so you can have the kind of joy on the inside that makes you sing while you're cleaning toilets! Give up arrogancy, pride, greed, lust - see the problem with those things is they're always looking for things but never finding what truly satisfies. Staying celebate for 15 years in this generation was a FIGHT let me tell you (with myself I mean) but BOY am I glad I clung to Christ (He saw me through) and obeyed His word. I am sooooo glad I obeyed His Word. Now I'm happy, going on 6 years of WONDERFUL marriage (in every way), totally satisfied and enJOYing my life - Halleluia! ok, should've been in bed 3 hours ago - you guys (atheist, etc.) - just get God in your life, make Christ your Lord - nothing else will ever satisfy you- :) :) :)
ps - FYI most of my friends my entire life weren't Christians; I'm not trying to make you mad, just trying to get you to stay out of a very boring, painful eternal destiny
Forever in LOVE (God is Love) - catalyst!
2006-09-06 19:34:31 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's gradual. You can trust God AND work full time plus. Give it all to God.
2006-09-06 21:31:39 · answer #9 · answered by MBK 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Trust God? Yes.
Why do you have to leave work to trust God? You make it sound like you don't trust God now.
"Should I go" suggests that you are the one in control. I suggest that you pray to the one who is really in control. He put you among other sinners for a reason.
In the name of Jesus Christ, may God bless you.
2006-09-06 19:26:00 · answer #10 · answered by In God I Trust (a.k.a. infohog) 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋