The place of God’s calling.

(Thoughts taken from Pastor Bill Bolin’s sermon: Passages)

Have you ever prayed to God to guide you to the “place” where He can release His calling into your life? Where and when does this happen? Is there a program we can follow that can direct us to the place to receive our purposes? I am a pretty big fan of Christian education. I would recommend that you would commit yourself to learn the Bible from solid, spirit-filled, doctrinally sound and balanced Bible teachers.  As we look at the story of Elisha we find him not in a nationally known prophet school but in his regular life’s work when God releases him in his calling.

“So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth .  And Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him.” (I Kngs 19:19)

 We also find Moses who also chose not to go to the top leadership school, but he chose the desert.

 “By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him is unseen.” (Hebrews 11:27)

“Now Moses was pasturing a flock…to the west side of the wilderness.”

(Exodus 3:1)

We have to be careful to not despise the place where we are at spiritually. In my own life, I am guilty of looking around at my peers (most of my close friends are in vocational/professional ministry) and seeing God work in their lives, and being upset at God because I am not seeing the same opportunities while I am plowing fields or watching some sheep in the backside of the desert.  A lot of times I have felt like Job:

“Behold, I go forward but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him; When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him; He turns on the right, I cannot see Him.” (Job 23:8-9)

Let us all be encouraged that God knows where we are at. Not only does He know where are at, but more than likely He has led us to the place where we are currently at, so that He can prepare us for the purposes on our lives. The story of Moses and Elisha emphasizes the faith/supernatural dynamic of the place of preparation for God’s purposes in our lives. This dynamic, Paul highlights in 1 Corinthians 1:28

“and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are.”

Your situation right now might be one that is not a desirable situation, but know that as you continually live by faith, know that God is leading you and preparing you to receive your anointed mantle.

Key Verse: Deuteronomy 4:2

“Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.”

These words came from Moses (Lk. 24:44) to the people of Israel. This was a new generation of people, ready to enter the promise land with a new leader Joshua. These words are very similar to the words that Paul gave Titus. Paul told Titus to appoint elders (new leadership) in every town and train leaders who would “hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” (Titus 2:9)

There seems to be an important theme when passing a baton to a new generation. That important theme is the integrity of the Word of God.  Paul instructed Titus to hold fast to the faithful word. What did Paul mean by “hold fast?” Hold fast has a couple of meanings. One of the main meanings is to hold oneself opposite. Which means anyone who comes in and directly opposes the integrity of the Word of God, we cannot give in by letting someone or the culture to add or subtract from the Word of God. The Church needs to stand in direct opposition to that type of influence.

What exactly are we suppose to stand in opposition against? Here are two thoughts on this subject.

Salvation by works. We need to stand against a culture who strongly believes that the good that we do will bring salvation and a relationship with God.  People that believe this will one day ask: was the life I lived a life worth living? Or a salvation by works will lead people to disillusionment, and the meaning of their life will be meaningless. This is a perverted doctrine of salvation that leads to a life without meaning or a life that struggles to have meaning.  The only meaning of life comes through Jesus Christ who paid the ultimate cost for our meaning and purpose – death on the cross. (See Gal. 1:6-9)

Selfish ambition.  Which kingdom do we want to build? Do we want to build God’s kingdom or our kingdom?  We should always have an attitude of contentment of who we are and where we are at in God’s will.  So that we can teach the Word of God without the need to be grow our influence at all costs. We add or subtract from the Word of God, to make the Word of God more appealing and more adaptable to the culture around us which could help us move up the corporate ladder or stand in front of a bigger crowd. We need to be satisfied and content and become more concerned about the integrity of the Word of God then our popularity polls. The pure Word of God will bring true wealth. 

(See I Tim. 6:1-6, Phil. 4:11-13)

Starlight – The light in the darkness.

Key Scripture: Job 39:14-17 (NLT)

She lays her eggs on top of the earth, letting them be warmed in the dust. She doesn’t worry that a foot might crush them or that wild animals might destroy them. She is harsh toward her young, as if they were not her own. She is unconcerned though they die, for God has deprived her of wisdom. He has given her no understanding.

The verse above speaks about the contradictions with the will of God. If God is a good God, why would he create an animal without any wisdom? In life we face a lot of contradictions similar to this one. Why did this bad situation happen to me? Why would God let this happen? In these types of situations do we tend to become bitter towards God?

When we face contradictions, it is as if we are walking in the dark as far as the will of God is concerned. The inability of us to fully understand the purposes of God in very trying circumstances darkens our world. It darkens our world to a point where it is hard to see God’s hand filled with his bright glory in it.

Gen. 15:2-6 (NLT)

But Abram replied, “O Sovereign LORD, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since I don’t have a son, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. You have given me no children, so one of my servants will have to be my heir.” Then the LORD said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own to inherit everything I am giving you.” Then the LORD brought Abram outside beneath the night sky and told him, “Look up into the heavens and count the stars if you can. Your descendants will be like that – too many to count!”Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

 Abram faced a contradiction. Why would God promise someone that they would have many children and at the same time let a person to walk in bareness for a very long time? Abram faced this bareness for so long, that his body was as good as dead (Rom. 4:19). Why would God continue to promise someone children and let a person’s body die? Why would God let this horrible circumstance happen, when He promised to take care of me and lead me to a place of wanting nothing (Psalm 23:1). In times of darkness, we need to do what God told Abraham to do. We need to look up at the “stars of promise” (Jack Hayford).

When cold, dark times fall upon our lives; this is not a time to doubt God and his character. This is not a time to doubt the Word of God. But this is a time to BELIEVE: “Abram believed the Lord.” For we serve a God who can resurrect dead dreams, dead visions and dead plans for God is a God who “gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were” (Rom. 4:17).

Look to the stars in the darkness and strengthen your faith, do not waver in unbelief, but remember what an awesome creator we have who brought forth light and life in the midst of formless, and empty darkness. Be filled with the Holy Spirit who is hovering over your dark circumstances, like a mother bird caring for and protecting its young.

Gen. 1:2-3 (NIV)

“Now the earth was formless, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”

Consider: Acts 12

Here we find Peter being imprisoned by King Herod Agrippa. Herod had just executed James (the brother of John) and was going for more.

In the mean time, we find the church earnestly praying for the release of Peter (vs. 5).

They hadn’t given up even though they just lost James. Talk about faith and trust in the LORD who doesn’t always work the way we think He should.

Check out what happens in verse 6-7:

“The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was  a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the LORD stood before Peter…”

We don’t know how long Peter was in prison, but we do know that the LORD was right on time… as if He could be late. The LORD is *never* late… because He is God. From our perspective He often seems to “come through” right at the last minute, but for Him He moves right when He wants to.

To us it seems like “the night before” or “suddenly” but He’s had these moments planned and has it all under control.

We should rest in the fact that He is on the throne and has our lives in His hands and when He chooses to will release the suddenlies we need to make it through.

Acts 10:9 – 16 | The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is impure or unclean.” And the voice came to him again a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.|

In this passage, Peter is confronted with a part of God’s character that is sometimes more challenging for us to wrap our minds around – God’s unconventionality. Peter’s perspective was that God was asking him to do something that the Law stood against, that being eating something deemed unclean. But God challenges Peter’s perspective on the matter – not once, not twice, but three times. The “box” that Peter had placed God in based on the Law, in an instant, was shattered. This moment in turn prepared Peter for his subsequent encounter with Cornelius and his men, a thought acknowledged in 10:28 – “He said to them, ‘You are well aware that it is against our Law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.’” How could Peter have gone and met with Cornelius and his men without this moment? What would Peter’s response have been if God had not challenged his presuppositions?

In my mind, this story breaks down into a few varying questions. Peter, it seems, had the perspective that he knew well enough God’s heart on the matter, because of the Law. But if that was indeed God’s heart, why did God challenge him about it? What about the New Covenant? What about Grace? I have to ask myself: Where do I “box” God in with Law? Legalism is a hard thing to combat sometimes, especially if it’s something you have grown up under. But those things…do they stand in opposition to the Grace and Mercy of God’s Love through Jesus? Where do they line up with the overarching goal of God for His Kingdom?

Secondly, God makes it clear that we are not to call anything impure that He has made clean. I mentally paraphrase this as, “Don’t speak words over things that God has already spoken over.” God is the final Word. All discussion ends with His declaration. The buck stops there. That being said, we need to constantly be asking God for His perspective on situations – and not resting in our own. This doesn’t even necessarily mean that we’re trying to pass judgment. Sometimes, we gauge situations based on previous experience, presuppositions or the experience of others that we know. We could have the best and purest of intentions in a situation, but it will not measure up to what God sees if we’re not asking Him for His eyes. We serve a God who makes old things new and turns hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. Would it not be best then to put our hope, trust and word at rest upon His perspectives, His Words, His Grace?

So, I guess the challenge that jumps out of this passage to me is…where do I , in my perspective, box my great, mighty, all-powerful, all-knowing, before-time existing, uncreated God in? And how can I see things properly without seeking His perspective first?

Consider: Luke 5

We find Jesus teaching with some Pharisees sitting nearby. Apparently Jesus’ reputation had begun to spread so some guys brought a man on a mat so that Jesus would heal him.

As the story goes, the crowd was so thick that the men went up on the roof, tore it open and lowered the sick guy throw the new sky light.

First off, what an extreme amount of care for this sick man. We awesome they were friends of his… but any way you look at it they were intent on getting this man to Jesus.

What a challenge for us!

Secondly, it’s important to look at what Jesus did with this man: He both healed him AND forgave His sins. Jesus cares for both the heart AND the body. Interestingly enough, Jesus actually forgave the man’s sins before He healed his body. Jesus first and foremost wants our hearts!

It was then that Jesus turned and dealt with the hearts of the Pharisees.

They were not too happy that this man Jesus was forgiving people’s sins. “Who does He think He is…?” they questioned in verse 21.

And to show that Jesus had the authority to forgive sins, He turns to the lame man and heals him.

Jesus’ response is real and relevant and literally strikes to the heart. “Why do you question this…?”

This story can be applied to our lives in many different ways. But know this, Jesus’ desire is for everyone to come into relationship with Him. He wants our hearts. He also wants us to know that He not only cares for our hearts, but He also cares for our bodies.

Consider: Revelation 1

The Book of Revelation is an interesting book! It’s quite often misunderstood because many think the book is about the “end times”. Though the events that will occur surrounding the end times, the book itself is all about Jesus (see Revelation 1:1).

The whole first chapter, John lays out how he received this revelation and who/what it’s all about.

As I was reading it this morning, verse 8 popped out to me. It reads:

“I am the Alpha and the Omega–the beginning and the end,” says the LORD God. “I am the One who is, who always was, and who is still to come–the Almighty One.”

The footnote connected with verse 8 says this:

Greek: I am the Alpha and the Omega, referring to the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.

Which got me to thinking. If we were to think of it in context of our English language, He is our A to Z. There are no other letters in our language than those that exist between A and Z. When it comes to God, there is no one else other than Him. There’s no one else that even comes close to comparing to Him.

He is the Alpha and Omega and He is the A to Z.

Consider: 1 John 2

John makes some incredible statements in chapter 2.

He says things like:

• “I am writing this to you so that you will not sin.”  (vs. 1)
• “If someone claims, ‘I know God,’ but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liat” (vs. 4)
• “Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.” (vs. 6)

People can SAY a lot of things… doesn’t mean it’s true. People can wear Christian t-shirts, but it doesn’t mean the wearer is a Christian. People can even go to a church service, but that action in and of itself is not proof of their salvation.

John clearly let’s us know it doesn’t matter what people say, if they aren’t living like Jesus, then they’re not really followers of Christ.

It’s gut-level, toe-stepping-on truth.

So who are you living like?

Brokenness is better than significance?

Today’s Daily Scripture: Jeremiah 7:22-23

When I led your ancestors out of Egypt, it was not burnt offerings and sacrifices I wanted from them. This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Only do as I say, and all will be well!’

How much time do we concern ourselves with achieving a goal and accomplishing something significant? Do we feel that we should be admired if we lay down our lives for a good cause?

What should the focus of our lives be? There is a desire to achieve greatness not just for ourselves but to serve even a greater good. When we serve the greater good we tend to feel that we have achieved a level of significance that justifies our life and justifies our being here on earth.  Laying down our lives for a cause , calling, or a purpose is seen as valuable and even significant.

I believe this desire is a God given desire, but like all other parts of our human existence, even this desire has been diseased and corrupted by sin. Now, we feel that we can justify our lives by our performance.  This desire to accomplish something significant in life needs to be put in perspective.  The correct perspective is that God is the creator of the world. He is the great designer and architect of us and the world. God does not depend on us to accomplish anything.

Ps. 50:8-10

I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me. I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.

What does God desire of us then?

Psalm 51:16-17

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

God does not desire our accomplishments but he desires our recognition of our nothingness without him. “..Those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” (Matt. 10:39)

Let us put our lives in perspective. Let the greatness and the holiness of God break us and bring us to our knees every day. It is on our knees not on the pedestal of greatness that we will find that “all is well” (Jer. 7:24)

Sobriety Test

Zephaniah 1:7

“Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand”

Today’s scripture reading, the Lord is instructing us to “hold thy peace for the day of the Lord is at hand.” How do we hold our peace? What does this mean?

John Calvin writes that

“Thou whosoever hast been wont to speak against God, as if He had no care about earthly affairs, cease thy murmurs and self-justifications; submit thyself to God, and repent in time” In other words, those people who are inclined to speak against God because they feel they have a right to, stop it and hold your peace, or keep silent.

As followers of Christ, we should be the people who keep silent about our rights, and focus more time on our responsibilities to what God is calling us to do.

1 Thessalonians 5:6-8 list some of our responsibilities:

6 So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be sober. 7 Night is the time for sleep and the time when people get drunk. 8 But let us who live in the light think clearly, protected by the body armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. (NLT)

Instead of thinking our lives are so important, and all of the problems that we are facing somehow justifies us to just constantly complain to God; let us hold our peace and become alert and sober about lives with the perspective that the day of the Lord is approaching. To be sober means calm and collected in spirit.

Remember that you live in the light, so protect yourself by making a faith stand, living a life of love and live always with an attitude of confidence that comes from our hope of salvation.

Zech 2:13

Be silent before the LORD, all humanity, for he is springing into action from his holy dwelling.”
(NLT)