SWORDS Bible Study: Results Part 1

I was feeling a bit down one day wondering if anything I was doing was making a difference in what I shared or had available to share with others. Basing what I had deemed slim results on which to judge my ministry, and I related this to a pastor friend. This is what he said to me:

“The ministry can be a discouraging work.  If we gauge our work by our results, we are going to be tempted to give up and quit. It is safer to labor and leave the rest with Him.”

I thought about this a lot and re-realized that I am simply the messenger.  If we are giving the right doctrinal message with careful study, prayerfully, with heart, clarity, charity, thanksgiving and walking in the Spirit, we still may or may not see results. However, we can KNOW we are in the perfect will of God.

Rom_12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Eph_6:6  Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

Col_4:12  Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

1Th_5:18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1Th_4:3  For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

1Co_16:14  Let all your things be done with charity.

Col_3:14  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

Gal_5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

My ministry as an ambassador for Christ is to share the gospel of the grace of God.  The ministry of reconciliation.  Everyone who is a believer in the death, burial and resurrection (1 Cor 15:1-4) of Jesus Christ IS an ambassador for Christ.  Male or female we were all given this ministry.  We are all His messengers today.

2Co_5:18 -21 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

This is the same commission given to Paul and is for us, too. The greatest commission of revealing the mystery of the work Christ did on the cross. The glorious mystery of His taking the penalty for our sins by His shed blood, and by believing this anyone can be saved! By grace through faith, believing we receive forgiveness, atonement, justification, His righteousness, eternal salvation, all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, and… we become a new creature in Christ!  The body of Christ.

ALL good results come from the Lord! “I” am a result of Christ’s finished work! “You” are a result of Christ’s finished work.

The Lord says that His will is:

1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 

As a member of the body of Christ this is said of me and you and is true.

Gal_2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

In Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and by study of His word, learning, gaining knowledge and understanding that Christ liveth in me, I (we) are a result, of studying, learning gaining knowledge and understanding of our God!

Everything we do unto the Lord, in the Lord, has a result whether we see it or not.  But it is interesting to me, that we don’t often think of the results in us, growing in our understanding in the knowledge of God! And this is one very good result!