A Picture of Set-apartness

They say there is a young lady in New Haven who is beloved of that Great Being who made and rules the world. They say that He fills her mind with exceeding sweet delight, and that she hardly cares for anything except to meditate on Him. If you present all the world to her, with the richest of its treasures, she disregards it. She is unmindful of any pain or affliction. She has a singular purity in her affections. You could not persuade her to compromise her true Love even if you would give her all the world. She possesses a wonderful sweetness, calmness, and kindness to those around her. She will sometimes go about from place to place, singing sweetly. She seems to be always full of joy and pleasure, and no one knows exactly why. She loves to be alone, walking in the fields and groves, and seems to have Someone invisible always conversing with her. 

- written of Sara Edwards by Jonathan Edwards, her future husband
- (from Marriage to a Difficult Man by Elizabeth Dodd) 

What Ministry (and Job) should be :)

JOB OR MINISTRY? 

A job is at your choice.
A ministry is at Christ's call.

In a job,you expect to receive.
In a ministry,you expect to give.

In a job,you give something to expect something.
In a ministry,you return something that has already been
given to you.

A job depends on your abilities.
A ministry depends on your availabilty to God.

A job well done brings you praise.
A ministry done well brings honor to God.

Some people have a JOB in the church;
others involve themselves in a MINISTRY.
What's the difference?

If you are doing it just because no one else will,
it's a JOB.
If you are doing it to serve the Lord,it's MINISTRY.

If you quit because somebody criticized you,
it was a JOB.
If you keep on serving,it's a MINISTRY.

If you'll do it only as long as it does not interfere with
your other activities,it's a JOB.
If you are committed to staying with it even when
it means letting go of other things,it's a MINISTRY.

If you quit because no one praised you or thanked you,
it was a JOB.
If you stay with it even nobody recognizes your efforts,
it's a MINISTRY.

It's sometimes hard to get excited about a JOB.
But it's almost impossible not to be excited about a MINISTRY.

If your concern is success,it's aJOB.
If your concern is faithfulness,it's a MINISTRY.

An average church is filled with people doing JOBs.
A great and growing church is filled with people involved in MINISTRY.

Where do you think you have fit in?

If God calls you to a ministry,
please don't treat it like a job.
If you have a job, for sure you have also been called to a ministry.