5 Smooth Stones

calling and ministry. Yet each had a commissioning to step into their ministry calling upon the earth. In Jeremiah’s case it is clear he did not know of this calling until the Lord told him about it. In the case of Jesus and John, it was the parents and others who would have told them. Predestined, in its simplest understanding, is to have a destination prepared ahead of time for you. A predetermined destination is predestination. When it comes to entering ministry, there is some confusion between practices and applications, between various groups and individuals. We know about Samuel’s early life, training and teaching from the Lord on how to hear His voice. Elijah was an interesting prophet in many ways, one being that we know nothing about his early years or training for his o ffi ce. He just shows up in scripture in 1 Kings 17 prophesying to the King and declaring he stands before God and speaks on His behalf. 1 Kings 17:1 “And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word." Clearly this does not in any way indicate that he did not have a history of training or growth into his calling. It does not indicate that he should not be believed and received. We just do not know from scripture his history. In our own day we need all that the Lord has for His church. Since he has provided gifts to help us we ought to do all that is necessary to accept those gifts. Ephesians 4:8 “Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men." Ephesians 4:11 “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ..” There are those who have a ministry gift who may not realize it and the church will be edi fi ed if such gifts are identi fi ed and released; there are those who know they are called, but have not been recognized or released; it can be frustrating for both the individual and the church when there is no clear avenue for release and receipt of a gift. There is a principle found in the Old Testament which seems, some times, to come into play in these situations. Deuteronomy 23:2 "One of illegitimate birth shall not enter the assembly of the Lord; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the Lord.” In our society illegitimacy is rampant and wide-spread. Illegitimacy and fatherlessness does noticeably a ff ect how people relate to one another 202