YOUR DESTINY
Many people, after 50 years, still ask me where I am from. Sometimes I jokingly answer, “From heaven.”  I have this idea in my mind that God gave me life for a purpose. I believe that my life belongs to God and He will use me until the end. I have no idea what will happen at the end, but it will end some day. I am not afraid of it, not running to it, not crying about it, but simply doing what is in front of me.
Many in history had no idea of what they were doing at the time of their struggle. The Puritans in England rebelled and were being persecuted for non-conformity. The church of Germany was in conflict with Martin Luther and he responded with his faith. In Geneva, Calvin stirred up the saints with new ideas and caused a war in the church. In Scotland the spiritual war was started by Knox. It takes men with conviction to change things. These were schools of fiery trials shaping men to become what God intended them to be.
All of us have been called and some of us have been chosen to advance the will of God for a generation. Think of the great men who shaped this nation: Brewster, Winthrop, Roger Williams, Penn, Oglethorpe, Adams, Jefferson and George Washington. All of these were announcers of a new idea of liberty and freedom that today we enjoy in America. Think about this: no one asked them to do this, no one helped them to do this, no one ordained them to do what they did for America.
What prevents me from saying to you that without the Spirit of God we are dead in the water, a sunken ship? What is wrong with saying that our worship needs to change and that the pulse of this generation calls for praise and worship? What is wrong with saying that every servant of God needs to be baptized in the power of the Holy Spirit? I tell you this: I am called and chosen to say this. The call is greater than life!
Are you chosen to serve the living God? Why then run from His nature? Why play the game of serving until you retire, and you discover that you served yourself most of your life? Why not to allow God to come in and deliver you from hell? Why be so worried about what others think of you? Fulfill your call! write your book! Dance your dance! Be a man or a woman of character, serving the living God!
Rick Bonfim
Amen, amen! I thank God for His patience and for all that you have meant to me through the years. God continues to amaze me with all that He is doing at our small church. He is faithful!!! Thanks again for your ministry in my life. Wesley
Comment by wesley Kaylor — October 11, 2008 @ 6:49 am
Thank you and thank you….thank God for You and your words. Yes someone (you) does need to say the hard stuff, it is all that may make a difference, and wake the church up. Leaders and those of faith to stand and challenge for change…you press me to keep keeping on and not give up or in to complacency.
Comment by tj — October 11, 2008 @ 2:15 pm
Man! Rick, you hit the nail on the head, and I was the nail! I really needed that today! I was just thinking about my situation, and feeling a little down. I’m a local pastor, called to the Music Ministry, with a different style and type of music. Yet, I am serving a small Church who cares absolutely nothing about music, especially mine, or any type of change. In fact, I’m sure they’d rather I not even be there. So goes the struggle!
Thanks for getting me through the day!
Jerry
Comment by Jerry Yates — October 11, 2008 @ 4:08 pm
Thanks Rick we must answer God’s call or we become burned out. I have been burning my candle at both ends for all my life until I met Jesus in 1976 and since then I have burned my candle at both ends and in the middle and God continues to supply the wax and the wick for his candle and it like the widow’s oil has never run out. We were called to start a Sunday night Bible study in our house since we don’t have church services on Sunday night. God has supplied the people hungry for the word to attend averaging 14-18 each week. Studying the Gospel of John we are now in chapter 4 and I can feel God’s blessing with each lesson and His infilling of the Holy Spirit. Praise God for answering His call. Larry.
Comment by Larry Price — October 13, 2008 @ 9:45 pm