_-----While his grandmother was baking a cake, a little boy was telling her how everything was going wrong for him---school, family problems, disloyal friends, etc.  After he was through complaining, she asked him if he would like a piece of cake.  He replied that he would.

    "Here," she said, "have some cooking oil."  "Yuck!" he replied.  "How about a couple of raw eggs," she asked.  "Grandma, that's gross," was his answer.  Grandma continued, "Would you like some flour then?  Or some baking soda?"  "Grandma," exclaimed the boy, "those are horrible!"

    The grandmother said, "Yes, those things seem bad all by themselves.  But when they are all put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!"

    God works the same way.  Many times we wonder why He would let us go through difficult times.  But God knows that when He puts these things in His order, they always work for good!  We have to trust Him and eventually they will all make something wonderful.  "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).  We have a calling---and it is according to His purpose.

    Ask God to expand your vision.  Expand means "To enlarge upon, develop in detail, to work out or show the full form, to become warmly communicative" (Webster).  "In all they ways acknowledge Him and he shall direct they paths" (Proverbs 3:6).  And He will lead you in a plain path..." (Psalms 27:11).

    When you are fulfilling the call of God in your life, you begin to see things differently.  You are no longer waiting for the call to happen, it is happening in the things you find yourself doing for the Lord (and for the church).  You recognize that God is in control and guiding you by His Word and His Hand.  You begin to make sure that every detail is right, that you quote the scriptures correctly, and that you use them in the proper context.  If you don't do this, then shame on you.  The book is there.  No excuses!

    You begin to search the scriptures for answers to questions you once relied on someone else to find.  The Word has now become alive and speaks to you personally.  You begin to be sensitive to daily opportunities and realize they are from God. 

    There are many opportunities that are not pulpit ministries, at least not a fixed pulpit.  You ministry may take form in nursing homes, jail ministries, volunteer work, vacation Bible school, youth camps, altar work, intercessory prayer, music, and the list goes on.

    As you expand your mind by the Word of God, your testimony becomes anointed and effective as the Word opens to you.  You are more eager to give your testimony and the Holy Ghost touches people you witness to or the class you teach.  There are many helps today that were not available when I was a new convert.  There is no excuse for not being fully prepared for whatever God calls us to do.

    Exactly what did Christ call us to do?  "Go ye into all the world!"  Our world is all around us, wherever God has placed us.  We must be content to work in the place where we are called and recognize that where we are is "the world" where God wants us.

    God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.  Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ (II Corinthians 5:19-20).  "Now then"...you are ambassadors representing Christ to the world.