God’s Calling
Everyone who knows Jesus as savior has a call. You are called by God to do something specific for God. There are no Christians who should just be drifting through life without a sense of destiny or purpose. If you have become a Christian and committed your life to Jesus Christ, God has a specific individual plan for every one of us. And God never makes carbon copies of people. There's something he has special in this life for everyone.
One of the great tragedies in the Christian church is born again Christians who don't see their own importance, who don't realize how very special they are in the sight of God.
2 Timothy 1:8-9 Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel, according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.
So Paul says there God has saved us and called us with a holy calling. If you are saved, you are also called. Being called is not a extra thing that's tagged on to salvation. Being called is part of salvation. God has saved us and called us with a holy calling. It's something that sets you apart. It sets boundaries to the things that you can indulge in. It sets limits around your life.
GROUP QUESTION: Do you believe you are purposely walking towards Gods plan for you? I don’t know? Maybe?
Many times we might be waiting on God to tell us what to do to get some certainty to see what He wants us to do. A lot of times we just have to step out in faith and find out. Some of you may say, well I don’t know what God wants me to do. Why don't you just try a few things and you will find out what works and what doesn't? Stop making excuses and step out in faith.
It’s kind of like when you go shopping and you have to try on what fits. You have to go out and see what works and what doesn’t, just like in life. Don’t be afraid to step out, have dreams, have hopes and believe in miracles. There are dreamers who don't work, and there are workers who don't dream, and neither one of those are good.
GROUP QUESTION: Have you ever tried stepping out in faith into something and realized you werent supposed to be there?
Some people work very hard every day, but their only dream or hope is to make it to next paycheck, getting the bills paid and starting all over next week. And then we have dreamers who won’t work.
Ecclesiastes 5:3 For a dream comes with much business and painful effort
Some do have a dream, but if you don't go through the work or painful part, you will never fulfill it. It similar to being pregnant. If you want to give birth to something you will soon realize its not just about getting some bright idea. You have a vision, but you have to be willing to work and go through whatever you have to go through to make it come to pass. Its very easy to start something, it gets difficult being consistent when nobody is encouraging you.
GROUP QUESTION: Have you ever started a project, having heard from the Lord, then just stopped? Why?
Every one of us has a calling, has a task in life to which you should give the same kind of priority. And if you haven't realized that, you're probably missing it. You're messing around. You're majoring on minors and you're spending your time and your energy on things that are of no real enduring value and missing one of the most precious things in life. God has called us with a holy calling not according to our works. It doesn't depend on our own ability or our level of education, or our social status. Not according to our works. But according to his own purpose.
The Bible makes it clear that God's faithfulness in his dealings with us is related to his calling. God is faithful. But lots of people don't really apprehend God's faithfulness. They're not quite sure how faithful God really is. Can they really rely on him? The reason why theyre not sure is because God's faithfulness is linked to his calling. And it's only when you come into your calling that you fully experience God's faithfulness.
1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Notice his faithfulness is directly related to his calling. He's faithful to work out what he's called. But if you don't know what he's called, you don't even know whether he's being faithful or not. We're also called into fellowship. One of God's purposes in our lives is fellowship. With who? With God. And then with one another. And if we are aimed at that, God is faithful. God is faithful to achieve his purposes, not necessarily to fit in with ours. When fellowship becomes our objective, then we prove God's faithfulness. You cannot separate God's faithfulness from his purpose. When we get into line with God's purpose, then we truly experience God's faithfulness.
GROUP QUESTION: How has fellowship lined you up with God’s purposes in your life?
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
God's objective is to make us holy. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God's purpose is to make us holy in spirit, soul, and body. And to preserve us blameless. Paul says, "He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit” When you line up with that purpose. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. Do what? Make you holy.
God's faithfulness is related to his purpose. Its purpose is to make us holy. Of course, whatever else his purpose may be. You don't really experience God's faithfulness in a real and tangible way until you're lined up with God's purpose. God's faithfulness is in the fulfilling of his purpose.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Notice then that God has called us to fellowship, to holiness, and here it says to good works. We're not just called to sit around in church buildings. We're called to do something. We are called to do good things for God. You don't have to write the scenario for your own life. What you have to do is find the scenario God has written and walk it out. We are his workmanship created for good works which God has prepared before him. And you will be a frustrated Christian until you find out what those specific good works are.
GROUP QUESTION: How has walking in good works help you find Gods purposes in your life?
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose.
A lot of people misquote that scripture. They're out on their own doing their own thing irrespective of God and they come into some kind of trouble or they have an accident and they say, "Well, everything works together for good." It doesn't. Everything works together for good to those who love God… And who are called according to his purpose. Only when we are working walking in our calling and fulfilling our purpose does everything work together there for good.
You've got to get in line with God's purpose. God is not going to adjust his purpose to you. You have got to adjust to God's purpose. You have to have a relationship (fellowship) with God where he can take the initiative and tell you things you didn't even ask him. Faithful is he who calls you, who also will do it.
GROUP QUESTION: What are practical ways you can actively start lining up (if you havent already) with Gods purposes?
The average quote born again Christian read spends 68 minutes a week reading the Bible 3 hours a day.. If you want a real dramatical radical change in your life just exchange two things. The amount of time you spend in front of your phone and the amount of time you spend with the Bible, and you will be amazed how spiritual you'll be.
But don't sow to the flesh and expect to reap from the spirit cuz it doesn't happen. Whatever we sow, we reap. You'll be no more successful in your calling than you are dedicated to it. How many Christians are blowing it? Their eyes haven't been opened. They haven't come to see what God has for them. First of all, you need to discover your calling, cultivate your calling and you need to stay within your calling.
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
What does God want? He wants our body. Did you know that Paul says, "Put your body on God's altar, a living sacrifice." What makes it holy? The altar. Jesus told the Pharisees, he said, "The gift doesn't sanctify the altar, the altar sanctifies the gift.-Matt23:19" When you place your gift on the altar, the altar makes it a holy gift. It's not holy until it's on the altar.
God has made a way that every person can have a holy body. No matter what you've done with your body, put your body on the altar and it's sanctified. So that's what God is asking of you. From now on, I don't own it. You own it. I've offered it to you." When you make that decision, you don't decide where your body goes, wears, eats, does, etc. He owns your body. But, He's also responsible for it.
GROUP QUESTION: Our bodies sometimes seem to have a mind of their own. They want to eat certain foods and partake in certain activities that are not good for it.
How do we crucify the flesh to line it up with Gods will? When you give God your body, something happens in your mind. Your mind is renewed. You start to think a different way. You see, the old unrenewed mind is selfcentered. It goes into everything, including marriage. What will I get out of this? The old unrenewed mind cannot find the will of God. You can try, you can pray, but God doesn't speak to the unrenewed mind.
Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
But when your body is presented and your mind is renewed, God shows your renewed mind what his will for your life is. And It's good, acceptable, and perfect. Gets better and better. It's perfect. It covers every area of your life. It meets every need. It satisfies every longing. Only your creator knows what will fully satisfy you. So that's how to discover the will of God. How to find your calling is to present yourself without reservation to God. Say, God, here I am. You've saved me. I belong to you. I'm putting my body, my life on your altar. From now on, you make the decisions, God.
