DAY 18: THE TWOFOLD CALLING

THE RHEMA WORD FOR TODAY
(A DAILY DEVOTIONAL WITH PREACHER SAM)

TOPIC: THE TWOFOLD CALLING
DATE: 18 SEPTEMBER, 2019
BIBLE READING: 2 CORINTHIANS 5:14-21
MEDITATION/MEMORY VERSE: 2 TIMOTHY 4:5 (VOICE)
But you must stay focused and be alert at all times. Tolerate suffering. Accomplish the good work of an evangelist, and complete the ministry to which you have been called.

The name “Christian,” was first mentioned in Acts 11:26, “… The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” It was derived from the Greek word, “Christianos” which in the English rendition is “Christ-like”, that is possessing the nature and character of Christ. The early disciples learned to conform into the image of Christ. A disciple is someone who accepts and spreads the teaching [of Jesus Christ]. In other words, a disciple is a follower of Christ. In the English dictionary, “Christian” is someone who follows Christ. So a Christian is a disciple of Christ.
We can see from scriptures, the practices of the early Disciples of Christ. They were taught to be fishers of men (Matt. 4:19). Later on, their master, Christ Jesus, sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick in Luke 9. And the next chapter, shows that he sent out the 72.
These 72 won more souls to Christ, because during the day of Pentecost, 120 disciples waited for the promised Holy Spirit at the upper room in Jerusalem (Acts 1:50. And that day, 3000 disciples were added to the number (Acts 2:41). So, a disciple is a soul winner. And we can say thus, ‘every Christian is a disciple, and every disciple is a soul winner.’
When Jesus first called out his early disciples, he said, “Come, follow me…” (Matt. 4:19). And when leaving the earth, he said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (Matt. 28:19).
Every Christian’s calling always come in twofold. For instance Moses in Exodus 3:4, Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:10 and also Paul in Acts 9:4. The first fold is “come to me,” and the second is “go out for me.” The first is a call to salvation (Isa. 1:18; Matt. 11:28), while the second is a call to win souls; that is to evangelise (Matt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15, 16; Luke 10:2, 3).
Every Christian has done well in responding to the first call. Let us now endeavour to respond to the second call. God’s calling are in twofold, that is, as you respond to one, the other ought to be responded too.
In Ephesians 4:11, we see the fivefold ministry of Jesus. But before you discover the field that Jesus is calling you into, our verse for meditation says that we should do the work of an Evangelist. And if you have discovered the area that God is calling you into the ministry, then “…complete the ministry to which you have been called.” (2 Tim. 4:5).

ACTION POINT: I AM SAVED TO SAVE!
PRAYER POINT: GOD PLEASE GRANT ME THE GRACE TO RESPOND TO YOUR SECOND FOLD CALLING. HELP ME BY YOUR GRACE TO DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST.
PERSONAL READING: EPHESIANS 4:7-14