“How do you rate other believers? When will you give up on those who do not believe? In fact, what is the benchmark you use to classify anyone that I place in your path? Do you know that My love has no limits? Everyone that has been given breath is very precious to Me. Jesus gave His life for your worst enemy. He died so that the one who hates you may find eternal peace with Me. Do you know that the very people that are part of your world are there so that they might embrace the work of the cross because you show it to them?

"You might encourage someone who is about to give up on Me, because they do not understand My ways. You might have the privilege of displaying the virtues of Jesus to those who hate Him and scorn His work. Contact with you might soften his or her heart. It could happen tomorrow. The very reason you may want to escape from the pressures of scrutinizing eyes and judgmental lips may be the reason I have placed you there. You are the vessel of My hope placed in their midst. What are you doing about it?”

II Cor. 6:3-13 NIV

3) We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.

4) Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;

5) in beatings, imprisonment and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;

6) in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;

7) in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;

8) through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors;

9) known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed;

10) sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing and yet possessing everything.

11) We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you.

12) We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us.

13) As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also.

Most of us wait to one day be in ministry. What few of us realize is that from the moment we accepted Jesus as our Savior, we have entered the ministry. You and I are in full-time ministry. How and where we minister is the only difference.  Someone once said that “ministry is a whole lot of ordinary days.” I find that very true.

I am often approached and asked how to get into full-time ministry. How do I start a youth group? How do I start a church fellowship? How do I win my husband or wife to the Lord, and so on?  The Lord showed me the biblical formula for every one of those questions. His answer to me when I asked Him some of the same questions was: “Fall deeply in love with Jesus and begin to love those around you.”

Show me how to live Your love, Jesus,

Jim Corbett