Parthenon, Acropolis – Athens -founded on rock, lasting for thousand of years…DS ©

(This is a post published beginnings of 2011 and very relevant to what we discussed the last few days about our calling.)

Good morning! A new day in our lives! It is beneficial to remind ourselves that today we have new opportunities to learn from the past, to develop today and to invest in the future and all for His glory.

I pray that you are all well, strong in your body, soul and spirit! I pray that you continue listening from the Lord who speaks to you and that He brings clarity in all concerns of your heart. I pray that nothing that is not His could touch you or harm you. I pray that you are fully covered by the blood of Jesus Christ and all I prayed in His name, amen!

It is written:

“Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

- Jeremiah 1v9-10

Jeremiah was given a vocation by the Lord. He gave him an appointment and Jeremiah did not feel that he had the skills to implement the mission.

We need to understand that vocation is not a career. Vocation is a calling in our lives. The Lord gives us an appointment and a mission for His vision (which becomes our vision!) and He requires no skills from us. He requires a willing heart.

Instead, a career is what we decided to do as a living in life, as a profession or a hobby which might be developed in a career. When we desire to have a career in a certain field, we do need skills and during the period of our career we need to continue developing and maintaining our skills.

Since my childhood I wanted to become a Civil Engineer and thank God I became one. In fact, I became a successful one and I enjoyed a great career of almost 20yrs in the field. There was no case to start working as an engineer without studies in the University, more than 5yrs and without maintaining my knowledge or learning the new knowledge (technology, management, rules and regulations etc) throughout those 20yrs.

When the Lord moved me out of my career and put me in full time ministry and specifically He asked me to start writing (a long story which you will read in my third book, when it is done and published) I was ready to ask Him – as Moses did, as Jeremiah did and so on – how it was possible to write…I was just a civil structural engineer. However, I stopped my mind and my tongue and I remembered that He wants me just to belief Him and only to will to do what He told me. It is He who gives me the words and ideas to put on the blank paper.

My vocation is to empower others through teaching, writing and counselling. My career was as a civil-structural engineer. For sure, He is using my experience from my career in a way that can reinforce my vocation but these extra skills and experiences are not the foundation of my vocation.

P.S.  I still love engineering, I still admire structures and get informed about new things and mostly I love Parthenon, Acropolis in Athens. I remember, years ago, I was sitting there at a corner admiring this amazing building and I wrote “I am proud that I am Greek and an engineer”. I never thought that what I wrote in the back page of a book I was holding, it could be repeated in a page of Loving Ministry’s blog, years later. At that time Loving Ministry was not existing even in my deepest thoughts! Still, the Lord knew!

Amen! 

Love

Dimitra

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Matthew 25v21

“His lord said to him, ‘Well [done], good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”

In extension of yesterday’s published post “On the road to…” (http://wp.me/p1gGAh-m6), the above scripture speaks to us of how we progress in our calling.

As we said already, believers can be confused whether they listen from God about their calling or it is their own thoughts and desires.

Another issue is that even when they know that they know what their calling is, they feel that all will happen in one moment. The ministry will flourish …on the spot. And if does not happen likewise, they get disappointed.

It does not work like this! God in his great wisdom knows us well! He teaches us step by step. It is like school. We go from class to class and obviously we have some tests and exams in order to move from level to level.

Sometimes before we go out and teach or preach, we have to go as simple participants in a home group and learn more, participate in prayer groups in the church, participate in fellowship and keep reading the word of God. Believers with a calling do not need to feel offended due to humble start or worrying that they heard wrongly from God!

The Lord started this calling/ministry, He is capable to complete it as planned. He just needs our willingness and participation!

This is one of those cases that “we are still and know that He is God!”

Amen!

Love,

Dimitra

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The above photo shows a part of an ancient trading place in Konya, today’s central Turkey. It was a great cross road for all international traders of that time. It is truly a wonderful place and an amazing building that speaks tons about those old trading roads making us think our walk “on the road to God’s purpose in our life”.

Inspired by:

Acts 22v14-16

“Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

This scene happened along the road to Damascus (a cross road and trading road of its time) and it is a life changing moment for Saul, known as Paul.

Paul had just received a specific road/path to walk on and it is so clearly stated to him on the above verse: “For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.”

Paul knew already what his mission was. For sure he had no clue of the details of the mission and the end of it. He stepped in faith.

Believers believe that the Lord has a purpose in their life higher than going to the office, raising their kids or taking care their elder parents. They believe it but they have no clue how to listen from God and if they truly listen from Him. They think that it is from Satan as it is not a life change experience as happened to Paul.

Lord is not a God of confusion but of peace and power, of a sound mind. He speaks to each of us in His own way. Remember that we have a personal relationship with Him. Make sure that you hear from Him about your calling than judging or comparing with what happens to others. Calling for specific ministry has no connection of how old you are as a Christian. There is no measure of comparison. It is just you and God. Each one is unique.

Better to take your time and listen. No rush is necessary. The world will keep going around. Better to know for sure than put yourself and others in risk.

I do not know to whom this post is addressed but I wish you blessings and peace in your heart. God is in control! Remember we are not the keeper of the universe. Amen!

Love,

Dimitra

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You see, nothing is ever the same. We could not step twice into the same river; for other waters are ever flowing on to us, as Heraclitus said.

What do we create? We can create something good, as well as, create something not beneficial at all.

There are two scriptures that reflect the above:

Nehemiah 4v8

“… and all of them conspired together to come [and] attack Jerusalem and create confusion.”

Psalm 51v10

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

I believe that none of us desires confusion, pain, problems and troubles in life. There are things that we cannot control and at the same time there are things that we can control.

More we focus on a creative day, more we spend few minutes to think of what we are doing and ask the question of “what am I creating through this action?”, less complications will enter in our life.

The Psalmist got it! The most important is to keep our heart clean and pure – even if we are called naive – following the Holy Spirit who dwells inside us creating amazing changes from inside to outside.

We need to ask ourselves constantly whether what we do, say, think has any creativity in it, is it honest, is it pure, is it beneficial, is it a win-win situation? How wrong can we go if we are truly honest?

I pray that Father God helps us to live a life of honesty, a life of creativity, a life of beneficial changes and a life that it is a win-win situation between us and others. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, I pray. Amen!

Love,

Dimitra

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The fact is that when carriage was the existing transportation, people were happy to use it. They felt that it was faster than walking, cleaner than walking in dust and mud and it was a sign of prosperity and high status.

The technology has changed since then. Nevertheless, the attitude and feelings remain the same. We will still go for what is more comfortable, more convenient and faster. At the end of the day, all is relevant, isn’t it? What we consider today as high tech or as the biggest achievement ever, it might be just a nostalgic memory few centuries from now.

We understand our times within our own small span of our lifetime. Our happiness, our sadness, our anxiety and our dreams are just a fraction within the time span of history known and future to come.

Regardless of what era of history we are in, despite our own personal problems and anxieties, there is one action that can help us to stand and be lifted up, that can aid us to understand and come out of the dark tunnel: THANKFULNESS.

It is written:

Colossians 3v17

“And whatever you do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

1 Timothy 5v18

“… in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

When we say thank you, a pure and kind energy is released. Have you ever felt it? Thankfulness is an action of recognition and acknowledgment. When we go on our knees and say thank you to the great Creator of all good, we acknowledge Him and we recognise who He is and who we are in Him.

We recognize that all good comes from above. We trust Him that all works together for good. We do not take all provisions for granted.

If you go through the Bible, page by page, book by book, letter by letter, you will be astonished by how many times thanks were given and how many times we are instructed/recommended to give thanks. It is overwhelming.

Let’s just picture our own life and our own relationships with family, friends, colleagues, mates, and people walking along us in the streets.

There are two kinds of thanksgiving:

• The “polite thanks”: it is when we respond to a stimulus in a polite way by saying thank you. It is an automatic response.
• The “true thanks”: it is when we truly mean it. When gratitude comes out of our heart. This is the thanksgiving we need to apply in our relationship with the Lord.

We need to remember that the Lord reads our hearts. He does not just look the appearance of things, the surface of our actions and words. He is capable to look inside in our soul and see where we truly are. We can fool others and even ourselves but we cannot hide from Him, we cannot escape from the truth…truth always prevails!

The scripture below shows how important is to give thanks to the Lord who is always there for us, He is faithful and He never forsakes us.

Romans 1v21

“… because, although they knew God, they did not glorify [Him] as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

This verse, plus some more, takes us to an important as well reason to be thankful and to practice thankfulness. It is connected with our communication with the Lord, it is connected with our prayerful life, it is connected with our answered prayers and it is connected with the miracles in our life!

When we pray for anything, we need to keep going with thanksgiving. The Lord is not deaf not to hear us the first time that we make our request! When we ask, we need to believe with no doubts in our heart that we receive it and we shall have it! That’s what Jesus Christ, Himself, promised us (check http://wp.me/pkDdi-eU)!

Do we really need to go back in prayer and ask again? Does this seem “trusty” to you? When we trust Him, we go back in prayer but not to ask again but to give Thanks as we believe that it is done and we will see it in our physical realm! We keep thanking Him!

Philippians 4v6

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;”

Colossians 4v2

“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;”

More I read the Word of God, more I am convinced that being thankful is not even a simple request from our Lord but an instruction itself!

Colossians 3v15

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”

It does not say: might be thankful, be thankful if you wish to…

It is not different from what we wish for our own relationships. We are pleased when someone comes and says thanks to us from heart. It is a good feeling and it is peaceful to know that you were acknowledged.

Be thankful for the carriage of the past, be thankful for the Ferraris of today and be thankful in whatever comes in the future. God is in control!

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Confusing isn’t it? It is a great subject for discussion, so if you feel, please make your comments. Dialogue is good. Going through the pages of the Word of God, we see the Lord making dialogue even with people that he knew already that they were mocking him in their hearts.

2 Corinthians 3v3-6

“You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

Today, this post is more about challenging our thoughts and seeking understanding, God’s understanding and wisdom as the main question is:

• Where the letter stops?
• How we follow the Spirit without damaging the doctrine?
• What we keep from the Old covenant and what we do not?

Do you remember the story about Jesus healing a person during Sabbath and he was accused that he was not following the doctrine (which was the Law at that time). Jesus explained the priorities. Somebody would say that He is the Lord, He is allowed. Ok, what about the disciples at Matthew 12v1-2?

How that applies during our era, the New Testament – without disobeying God’s instructions?

So, now, I can say good bye and let you think! (Do you hate me? Hahaha, smiles!)

Love,

Dimitra

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Colossians 3V23

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”

Our Father God, here we come in front of your throne of grace and my prayer is that you guide each of us to reflect your light wherever we are, with whatever we are pre-occupied and work on. Whatever we do, help us to do it for your glory and to work with gratitude and thankfulness in our heart. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen!

The Lord is a wise God. His wisdom is continuously reflected within the Bible.

Each human being is working. A baby has a work to do, an infant as well, an adult and an elder. Work never stops! The baby needs to survive and learn eventually to stand on two feet, the infant needs to memorize and copy everything around, an adult…has a lot of work (!) and an elder…needs to be the wise guy!

In fact, the definition of work is:

Activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result.

Specifically, Paul speaks not only of a professional job, a career etc but for anything we do.

We need to do things, whatever it is, for God’s glory. We use to complain for this and that, losing our energy in whining than try to build up and contribute something beneficial within the environment of whatever we are occupied with.

People will look at us and when they see our endurance, our willingness, our perseverance, I strongly believe that they will see Jesus whose ambassadors we are.

Above all, I know (I do not just believe) that when we keep working with our heart, doing it as we would work for our God, doors open, “promotions” happen, the Lord takes us to the next level.

It might be a work, an activity just for a season. We still need to remain hard workers and feeling gratitude, creating something new even if it seems small.

So, let’s keep the work ethic and be examples for future generations to come! Let’s look at what we do just here and now with a loving perception, let’s fall in love with what we do and throw our passion in it!

Love,

Dimitra

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Colossians 2v6-7

“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.”

Ah, Colossians! What a letter! I love it as I love the letter to Philippians. Paul sounds so different than in the letters to Romans or Corinthians.

The above scripture is so inspiring and a great encouragement for us. It concludes all books of the Bible in just one paragraph!

• At first, we need to receive Jesus Christ – The Lord!
• Then, we have to keep walking with Him – not with Paul, Peter, Kathrin etc, but we walk with Jesus and this is sufficient.
• Not only walking with Him but ROOTED AND BUILT UP. Wow, so strong phrase! Rooted means to make our foundations in Him. Built up means to keep building ourselves and our life with Him and according to Him.
• Two important elements: Faith and Thanksgiving.

How can we please our Lord without faith? How can we access Him without faith?

How can we go with expectation to Him without thanksgiving?

We need a thankful heart and a spirit of gratitude.

That’s how we keep going and keep serving our God. Using faith and thankfulness, we build up starting from the foundations and we continue building up walking step by step with Jesus, facing the challenges through Him and only Him! Amen!

Love,

Dimitra

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It is  even more amazing to realize how they used to travel from town to town, from village to village, from country to country…ok, they were still all under the Roman Empire so probably they did not need any passport! (smiles)

They had no airplanes or fast vehicles driven along highways. They had not phones or internet to book a hotel or inn. They were carrying no much with them either.

Thinking of them, I am impressed of the true physical and emotional effort, they put into their mission. They fully trusted the Lord for each step taken.

Of course, we live in a different era and due to our technology and transport means, we can take the gospel to the whole earth! I do believe that it still takes a great effort and a great willingness to continue doing so, even if you travel by a jet.

No matter the strengths and limitations of the era where we live, the important thing is to put God’s will and God’s calling as priority.

Paul had those desires to keep going to all churches and share with them. He was a great traveller, no doubts. We read again and again in his letters how we wished to be with them and how many times he planned to visit them.

Romans 1v10

“…making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you.”

Romans 1v13

“Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.”

It seems strange! Paul wanted to go to them. It was a good act, nothing wrong with it. It was well motivated as it was out of love and out of a desire to support them with his presence.

However, God did not allow him to go…at least, when he was planning to. God had a better planning for Paul’s mission.

That’s why, during each step of our calling/mission, we need to know that it is what the Lord wants us to do. He knows the big picture, a picture that we are ignorant about.

To say it in a more simplified way: God is your employer and you the employee. There is some travelling to take place within the next few months. What would you do? You will have a meeting with the boss, discuss the whole travelling planning and finally the trips affordable and beneficial to be accommodated, will be accommodated but the rest will be cancelled.

As simple as that!

Love,

Dimitra

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A person said that miracle is something supernatural. Someone else considered as miracle even the fact that he was waking up each morning breathing and being alive. Another friend brought the dictionary and read the official definition.

Angus Buchan said few important things:

• When we pray…the word IF does not exist;
• A miracle is not about difficulties but about impossibilities.
• “There is power in prayer. When men work, they work but when men pray, God works.”

You can pick up any of the above suggestions, understandings or perceptions.

It is essential to know:

• What the word of God says about miracles;
• About believers’ authority;
• About the will of God.

Let’s look at one by one the above thoughts. It is impossible to understand what the Spirit says if we do not go through quite few scriptures. In fact, the scriptures say plenty than any personal comment…so forgive my slight silence!

• What the Word of God says about Miracles?

Matthew 21v22

“And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Mark 11v24

“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive [them], and you will have [them].

John 16v24

“Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

• What is our Authority?

http://wp.me/pkDdi-dk (Please, follow the link and read the relevant article. It says much more than what can be said within this article)

Luke 10v19

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Mark 16 v16-20

“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; “they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

• About the will of God.

1John 5v14

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”

Matthew 8v2-3

“And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out [His] hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”

And above all, there are two very vital, strong, amazing verses:

John 14v12

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater [works] than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”

Matthew 21v21

“So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.”

As I copy all the above scriptures, I am overwhelmed by their boldness, strength and assurance of receiving miracles. I really feel like going out and shout to everybody what a God we serve; a God of miracles, miracles that He is Willing to do!

There are a lot of controversial debates about what His will is. Friends let’s read the Bible! His will is in it. For example, it is written that “By His stripes you were healed. (Isaiah 53v5)” How do you doubt your healing? (I agree that one day we will all die, but till then you can claim healing!)

What is His will? Read all the above verses and you will find what His will is. Read also His commandments, read His instruction, read His promises, put the armour of God, do all and stand, be still and know that He is God!

At the end of the day comes down to having faith and having NO doubts!

Reading the Gospels, we observe that whoever reached Jesus with faith for a miracle, they received it.

Wherever there was failure, Jesus Christ had only one comment: “you of little faith”…

You might be in a difficult situation at this moment, in an impossible situation and you think…”oh, what you know! If you knew what I go through…how can you judge me and my faith…I have prayed, I have done it all…”

If we have done it all, we need to stand, be still and wait upon the Lord. The miracle might not arrive now; it will arrive at God’s perfect time. However, if we start questioning it and speak “ ifs”…the doubt is present, the game is lost!

Do you know clearly that this is God’s will? Then stand! If you feel weak to stand alone, ask Jesus to stand with you and us, brothers and sisters to stand in agreement with you.

It is just matter of time!

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