Walking Worthy of My Calling: Journey Back to the Likeness of God

By Lori E. Banfield MTS

Inspired by Ephesians 4:1-3 Walking Worthy of My Calling is a spiritual guide book that invites each reader to journey back to the likeness of God - humanitys original state and fullest potential. Separated into 3 sections The Calling, Worth, and Walking - each develops on the one before to offer psychological, theological and philosophical wisdom and understanding with practical application. All with the goal of enhancing this life journey, maximizing our intimacy with God and our fellow creation, uncovering ones purpose, and intentionally living in the light of our true potential. The author prays that each chapter will ignite an awareness of the Call and affirm your commitment to keep walking.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 5, 2016
• ISBN: 9781512739879

Lori E. Banfield MTS

Rev. Lori E. Banfield, MTS Professor of Psychology and Christian Ministries at Esperanza College of Eastern University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Chaplain of Discipleship Associate Minister at Gates of Heaven Pentecostal Church “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to Walk in a manner Worthy of the Calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” – Ephesians 4:1-3 Rev. Lori (Lo) Banfield, a native and resident of Philadelphia, PA leads her life, career and ministry by this commission of the Apostle Paul. A graduate of Saint Joseph’s University (Bachelors in Psychology and Philosophy) and Palmer Theological Seminary of Eastern University (Master of Theological Studies in Christian Counseling) Lori is currently completing a PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy. With a love for studying and enhancing the human experience, Rev. Lo appreciates the journey of all and desires to activate her passions for theology and psychology to empower each person beyond the classroom and the church. The wife of one, Adriel Banfield, the mother to their young son, and a sister to all Rev. Lo graciously operates in every area of life God entrust to her hands. “...to be fully human is not to know everything and not even to understand everyone but to have the mind to walk WITH another in spite of all that.” - Lori Banfield, MTS

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Copyright © 2016 Lori E. Banfield, MTS

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

NASB – New American Standard Bible

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-3986-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-3988-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-3987-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016907447

WestBow Press rev. date: 4/29/2016

CONTENTS

Foreword

Introduction

Part I

Chapter 1    Major Call: Community

Chapter 2    Minor Call: Vocation

Chapter 3    Help On The Job

Chapter 4    The Chosen

Part II

Chapter 5    Self-Worth

Chapter 6    Kingdom Ambassadors

Chapter 7    Show Thyself Approved

Part III

Chapter 8    Where Are You Going?

Chapter 9    Don’t Run, Stop Crawling

Chapter 10    Walk By Faith

W.W.O.M.C.

Thank you, good Master! Oh, Lord, be thou exalted through this work of ministry. May your voice alone be heard and your spirit felt that you may be glorified through each word and each reader. I pray that each person who picks up this work will feel your presence and be inspired to continue in his or her journey back to your likeness. Remind us all that your likeness is where we reach the true potential of humanity: holiness!

This work of ministry is in memory of those who have journeyed before me. They laid the foundation and set me in the right direction:

My great-grandmother, Bishop Lena Thomas

My grandparents, William and Elaine Pearson

My mother, Cecelia Maxine Pearson

And to my husband, Adriel, for journeying with me and kicking me into third gear. Thank you!

FOREWORD

In this book, Lori E. Banfield delivers an affirming guide to spiritual maturity. By reading this book, you will gain a greater appreciation for your personal call and how that call is to function in God’s overall redemptive plan. You will be taken on a journey of self-discovery that leads to wholeness. This book is rooted in the Word of God, and thus carries life-giving power.

In the first section of the book, Lori brings clarity to your personal calling that is in cooperation with the corporate call of the body of Christ, easing the anxiety that accompanies being called. Along with the called community is the supernatural empowerment of the Holy Spirit that brings power, unity, and purpose. Readers are encouraged to value the call and equip themselves to fulfill the assigned purpose.

Lori spends time revealing the true identity of the believer and the role of the kingdom citizen in this world. Biblical examples are given to help the believer to navigate through the challenges of bringing the glory of heaven to earth. The second section of the book is quite encouraging and establishes the mind-set of the believer on a firm foundation.

The third section deals with practical application. The crooked places are made straight, so to speak, giving readers the tools to abound in all things. Lori continues to encourage a balanced approach to walking in your calling.

I invite you to take this journey that leads to a more abundant life in Christ. My prayer for every reader is The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling.

Bishop Keith M. Thomas, vice president, Gates of Heaven Assembly of Churches, Headquarters Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and pastor, Beulah Tabernacle Pentecostal Church, Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania

INTRODUCTION

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all. (Ephesians 4:1–6 ASV)

At the conception of every person, God places in his or her spirit a call purposed to drive that one to his or her destiny or expected end. Unfortunately, it seems that such a call can get lost in translation as we breathe and grow in this world. Maybe it’s that we internally know the call and forget it, or ignore it, or maybe we get too distracted by the world around us that we can no longer hear the word of the Lord speaking within us. Whatever the case may be, there is indeed a destiny ordained for each of us. God is calling each of us, big and small, to do a good work and to let our light shine