Living Beyond the Paycheck
The Rock Teaching Ministry Read: ACTS 18:1-4
Meditation Verse:
“I, Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, through the will of God (1 Corinthians 1:1)
The work we do in life often falls into three broad categories:
Your Job – work you do to earn a living and meet daily needs.
Your Profession or Trade – work you train or study for.
Your Calling or Purpose – the work you were created by God to do.
Your job puts food on the table. Your trade builds your skillset and reputation. But your calling satisfies the deepest longings of your soul—it is your God-ordained life assignment. It confers identity, purpose and eternal impact.
In Acts 18:1–4, we see the Apostle Paul working as a tentmaker—his trade. But in all his letters, Paul never introduced himself as a tentmaker. He consistently identified himself by his calling: “Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ.” This was his identity.
Your calling is at the core of who you are.
It is not what you were trained for; it is what you were made for. Unlike your job or profession, your calling is a gift from God. You may retire from a job, pivot from a profession, or leave an industry—but you never retire from your calling. It follows you through every season of life, and you will give an account of it before God.
Paul’s calling left an eternal impact. While little is known about his success as a tentmaker, his legacy as an apostle transformed the world. This should challenge us to ask: What am I known for? What will I be remembered for?
Your job meets your needs; your calling meets the needs of others. Your profession may bring temporal rewards, but your calling yields eternal fruit. You are most alive, most effective, and most fulfilled in the place of your calling. Not everyone is called to the fivefold ministry (apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher), but everyone is called to serve God and expand His kingdom. Your calling may show up in the marketplace, in education, in business, in healthcare, in parenting, or in the creative arts. You may live out your calling through your career, or alongside your career—but either way, your life is meant to make a difference.
Have you identified your calling, or are you still defining yourself by your trade or job? In what ways does your current work (job or profession) align—or not align—with your life’s calling?
What eternal value will your work leave behind?
IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Oke Chinye.
Have you asked Jesus Christ to come into your heart?
He says in Mathew 11:28, “come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” He longs to give you rest."
Would you like to do so now? Here’s a prayer you can say:
Dear Jesus, I believe that You died to save me from all my sins. Today, I invite you into my heart and I accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive all my sins and help me to live my life for You.
If you prayed this prayer, send me an email at rockteachingministry@gmail.com
I would love to pray with you personally and send you a copy of my book; ‘Living the Life’ to encourage you as you begin your new life in Christ.
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