"Confess your faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." - James 5:16 (NKJV)
As a child, I began to prophesy when I was under the age of five. I ALWAYS had desire yearning to hear the Word and to serve God. I've been prophesied to, having hands laid on me, regarding various gifts I have, that have been proven, and have come into fruition. Likewise, I've learned to recognize God's voice. He's even used sinners, saints, friends, family and strangers alike to say things to me that ONLY He and I knew. Therefore, I clearly know when He answers, speaks to and/or instructs me. He's visited me, sent me messages in dreams & visions that have come to pass, and He often reminds me of His call on my life. Before I open my Bible I pray that lead & guide me to what He would have me to see, to read, to learn... Like Paul, literally imprisoned, I allowed my Bible to fall open after praying and I read, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified...” - Isaiah 61:1-3... I laughed, immediately closed it, and I asked God to lead me again.
The Bible opened to Luke 4:18-19 which reads, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."... Smh, the same thing so I replied, "Okay Lord. I hear ya."
Countless times it's been, "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.... For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called..." - 1 Cor. 1:17, 26..
Countless times it's been, "These things command and teach. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." - 1 Tim. 4:12-16
Many times, even recently, though I know ALL these things the Lord has graced, entrusted & anointed me to perform in spite of my sins, I've wondered about His timing, my purpose and I was repeatedly was led to, "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land." - Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NLT)
My error is that I asked, "Why me Lord?"... As opposed to embracing the Call, I ran like Jonah, wondered like Jeremiah, and felt that I wouldn't know what to say, nor whom to speak to... Now I gladly, boldly in Him, yet humble in heart, receive the latest charge He led me to, "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." - II Timothy 4:2-5
"And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?" - Luke 2:49 (NKJV)
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