2Corinthians 5:17 (Amp) says, "Therefore if any person is ingrafted in Christ Jesus (the Messiah), he is a new creation (a new creature altogether)."
We seldom see ourselves, the way God's Word describes us to be, in Jesus. We've mostly seen ourselves as "forgiven sinners." This is a true description of us, but we are far more than that. The Blood of Jesus completely removed our sins and the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has elevated into right standing with God. We've been made new creatures and that means we're creatures who never existed before.
What kind of new creature have we been created to be? We didn't become a new creature, but were created new. This means that the person we were before receiving Jesus, no longer exists. God didn't just repair the old man/woman with all his/her faults and sins, but He made us new creatures in Christ. God didn't repair the earth and the heavens. They never existed, until God created them.
We still see ourselves in a natural mirror, instead of the Mirror of God's Word. James 1:22-26 (Amp), says, "But be doers of the Word (obey the Message), and not just merely listeners to it; betraying yourselves into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth. For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his own natural face in a mirror; For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like. But he who looks carefully into the faultless Law (the Law of Liberty), and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer who obeys, he shall be Blessed in his doing (his life of obedience). If anyone thinks himself to be religious (previously observant of the external duties of his faith), and does not bridal his tongue but deludes his own heart, this person's religious service is worthless (futile, barren)."
James sums up the duties or service, of the new creation person that the Perfect Law of Liberty reflects back to those who perseveres, in Verse 27, which says, "The pure and unblemished service in the sight of God the Father is this: To visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their afflictions and need, and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world." God rejects the external, religious worship and outward acts. God tells us in Isaiah 58, that His way of fasting isn't going without food, but is a way of Life for the believer. This is how we're to live before Him, in our every day life on earth. God doesn't respond to the outward religious acts and worship. He doesn't wants us to give an offering for the poor and widows in church. It's good that we give an offering to help the orphans and widows, but God also wants us to help our neighbors and those around us.
We send offerings and help those in other nations, but we should also help those around us, as our personal worship to the Father. When we don't see ourselves in the Mirror of God's Word like we should, we leave it up to the pastor to ensure our giving goes where it should. Even though the pastors are doing good with our gifts, he/she might not know that our neighbor is in need. This is personal ministry.
You might think it's better to feed two-thousand people, instead of just one. If you were "the one," and had three hungry children, then you probably wouldn't agree. This is the Isaiah Fast and the personal service towards God. This is just as Super-natural, as laying hands on the sick and casting out devils. You might need to lay hands on your neighbor or cast a demon out, that has held your neighbor under the Curse for years. This isn't just a way to worship God in this realm of life. When we live in the Law of Liberty, we operate in both realms of life (spirit, soul, and body). There's an old saying that says, "You get so Heavenly minded, that you're no earthly good." I believe we can also get so earthly minded, that we're no Heavenly good.
We must learn who we are In God and learn the might and ability He has provided us, in order to function like He intends. We can't meet the needs of all those who have needs, without the Super-natural provisions of our Father. Even Jesus had to go to His Father, in order to feed the five-thousand. There are more needs than any one person can provide on his/her own, but there's no need that our Father can't meet. If we don't see who we are in the new creation, then it can be overwhelming to see the needs, healing, hunger, depression, poverty and despair of those around us. We must learn who we are and what Heaven has made available to us, if we ever hope to reach the dying world.
God can build a ministry and bring those who are Gifted by the Spirit to help, but every individual still has service and duty that He has given him/her. There are many charity organizations that provide aid for those in need around the world, but our personal prayer and help is still needed. We've mostly looked at the ministry as being a pulpit and a building, but when God sends us to minister to someone who thinks God has forgotten them, it's personal.
Let's do everything we do, as unto the Lord, because it all matters. We shouldn't just appoint a visitation committee to do what we are called to do. This doesn't mean we should quit our job and take up full-time ministry. We should make our jobs personal between God and ourselves, ministering beyond the professional realm into the Spirit. Let's allow God to reach beyond our natural selves. Let's allow His ability reach into the new creation person He's made us to be, into those we touch.
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