All in Our Calling
Are you struggling with whether you will give yourself to Jesus, and fully believe in God? Have you been reasoning and reading scripture without moving an inch closer to believing? If so, then quit listening to your own intellect, and still yourself... then open your ears to the still small voice of God that calls you to “Come.” Hearing God isn’t a matter of intellectual reasoning on your part; it is being inexplicably drawn by the Lord.
How do you live your life in faith? Do you seek excitement, advancement, or greatness as you pray and ask God for these things in the same breath as deeper faith? If you are a preacher in a small church filled with good families, do you plead in prayer for a megachurch and a television show that bears your name? No, our faith leads us to sainthood, not to be millionaires; all of that is of the world, and of little consequence to God.
Am I willing to abandon myself to Jesus Christ? Can I put down my own self interests and pick up the cross? If I can't answer "Yes" to these questions then I am confined, at best, to being an onlooker in the audience as Jesus teaches, and not a disciple that follows Him wherever He leads...
In Nashville we had a total eclipse of the sun this year (2017), and although it took a while to reach the totality, or period the of time in which the moon totally covers the sun, the totality itself lasted for two minutes or less. Quite often the period of time God shines His light of opportunity in our lives is short as well. If we miss the chance to see or to act upon the calling which God presents us, we may never experience that opportunity again.
Are you ready to step forward in faith into a new role of servitude? Our inclination is to go only so far and then fall dutifully in behind our spiritual mentors, allowing them to lead us from there. However, God would have use step through that moment and cross into a larger life with Him. This is an inevitable event.
Are you suffering in or through something that God has called you to do? If so, how are you approaching your hardship? Does it cause you to question His presence in what you are doing, or are you experiencing pride in your suffering? Neither of these is a proper way to deal with your suffering because it makes His calling about yourself. Only a humble trust in God is the proper response.
Does Jesus preach in your city? God often tells us to do a certain thing; to reach out to someone, or to establish a church in some place, but once we experience the power of that happening, we are inclined to remain there in that moment or place. How often do we get in God's way once the job is done? How often does Jesus come to take the pulpit only to find us there?
Am I steadfast in my faith? Am I allowing God to work in me that I might be perfected and brought to completion? These are my thoughts for this morning and I invite you to join me in them.
There is a standing argument in the church regarding whether it is better to serve God intellectually or from the heart. We have heard the arguments from each side, but in truth it matters little... what matters most is that we hear God's Word and obey.
Does God have to move something, or someone, out of the way before you will see Him? Is your attention focused somewhere other than on Him? Our God is a jealous God... He told us so, which begs the question... why do we taunt Him with our inattention? This is my concentration today. I am asking myself if there are people or things in my life that keep me from Him.
How mature am I as a Christian? Have I moved from that stage in my faith where the focus has shifted from learning who Jesus was, and how to live the life of Christ, to that of actually knowing Him and living alongside Him? Am I fully engaged and surrounded by the will of God and in close relationship with Jesus, or still battling within myself to wrest control from the sinful man that resides there?
Visions and God's will, His plan, for us. This is my contemplation today. God gives us glimpses, and sometimes very detailed insights into what He has planned for us, and then He goes about accomplishing His will. The question becomes this... am I totally on board with His plan for me; am I excited about the vision (where He is taking me), or am I a reluctant passenger, ready to disembark before the the final destination has been reached? Are the goals I have for my life consistent with His?
I am looking at my life this morning in such a way as to identify those things that are stumbling blocks to my faith. I am asking myself the simple question... "Am I separating myself from those things that stand between God and me?" Is my life focused sufficiently on Him, and cleansed of those encumbrances to my faith?
Being true to the Word of God while dealing gently with those who I come into contact with, as I spread the news of Christ's love and sacrifice. This is my concentration this morning; how to turn the heart of a failing individual without losing the patient in the process.
Do you follow Jesus without second thought? Do you give your faith free and unquestioned rein to rule your life? These are the questions that face us all and the crux of my morning contemplation.