Calling
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OPEN IN PRAYER
HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT YOUR CALLING?
In life there is a call and there is a cost.
We are called to answer the call.
26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;
Calling
What is it about a call?
It goes beyond a job! - It sustains you when things get tough - It has a driving force to it.
CALLS HAVE MANY COMMONALITIES
1. THEY ORIGINATED FROM THE GODHEAD
a. GOD THE FATHER CALLED ABRAHAM, MOSES, ISAIAH, SAMUEL
Abraham - Called to journey
MOSES - The burning Bush Story - Called to speak
Isaiah - The vision God gave Isaiah about the Lord - Sent out
Samuel - Called to be a prophet
David - Called to be a king
How about the 12 - Called to be Apostles
Scripture says they left their nets and followed him
Following is
Not turning to the left or the right
Following is an action word- walking
The sheep are asked to follow Jn 10:4
4 “When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.
Serving and following go hand in hand
26 “If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
2. HOLY SPIRIT CALLED SAUL AND BARNABAS AND OTHERS
Holy Spirit gave them direction.
It could be today God puts a call on your life. You might not be expecting it, maybe you just came for the fellowship today. Maybe as you listen today God will speak to your heart and say this.
“there is more to life than this”
My daughter watched a movie put on by a church on the plight of children in africa that were taken in the middle of the night.
All of a sudden she is saying - I have to go help them out.
This led to YWAM and a trip to south Africa and a trip to Latvia.
As believers we are called “sent out ones”
The white picket fence life might not appeal much to you anymore.
You become global - or at least want to reach beyond the four walls
3. GODS CALLS ARE UNPREDICTABLE
They could be to do unbelievable things or simply to “wash dishes” You could end up working in an orphanage or start orphanages.
IT COULD BE A SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE OBJECTIVE
a. NOAH – BUILD A BIG BOAT - a really big boat
b. MOSES – LET MY PEOPLE GO TO PHAROAH
THEY ARE UNIQUE – NO CALL IS LIKE THE OTHER – THEY ARE ALL CUSTOMIZED
a. WHEN GOD WANTS SOMETHING DONE HE ASKS VERY STRANGE PEOPLE TO DO IT.
i. HOW ABOUT JOHN THE BAPTIST
He looked weird and he ate weird.
He was called to proclaim
2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
ii. HOW ABOUT EZEKIEL
He called him to speak prophetically to Israel. Not just speak but do wierd things. Ezekiel was ordered by God to lie on his left side 390 days and on his right side 40 days. He had to eat disgusting bread, drink rationed water, and use cow dung for fuel.
God has an agenda - He has a plan - He is looking for available people to fulfill it.
He is looking at you, saying I have a job for you.
Illustration _ personal testimony
I had no idea of a call when i first got saved.
My training for the all was t started by digging a ditch - ( a gas line by hand) It was humbling. Everyone else got cool things to do - not me. I guess i needed to be humbled so i could fulfill the call - AMEN
It progressed to being a mechanic and fixing and modifying buses
It then moved into driving - taking students to Central America and al over the US and Canada. I took this very seriously- (ask my wife)
Then College, then church planting, then pastoring.
I believe every person has one
4. GODS CALL IS A LIFE OF SERVANT HOOD
Have you recognized that god has set you apart – anointed,and ordained you.
He has also empowered you and given you authority.
You have exchanged the ordinary normal human privilege to a sacrificial journey - you want to serve.
Not only are we called to serve but to build.
9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.
In 1st Chronicles - It says arise and build the house of the Lord.
Take possession, extend your tent posts. Expand the kingdom,
You might say well all i can do is pray - It worked for Jesus. He prayed then walked and miracles happened.
In every way contribute to the ministry.
If you are a builder build - If you can sew - sew
If you are baker - bake - If you love children work with children
If you are a leader - lead. - If you have a natural smile- be a greeter.
If you love numbers help in administration
If you love to talk - teach
If you love flowers help with landscaping. Some of you might think this one is funny. It wasn’t foe Pastor Bill Hybills . He came across some workers that tended all the landscaping and reminded them the importance of their ministry.He said, you create the “power of first impression” .
It starts when you drive up and the first ten minutes after getting into the building. Some wont even give God a chance because they have to go through the crankiest people to get to their chair.
Front line ministry is the first thing people see when they arrive, the first face they look at, the first hand they shake.
Keith Greens wife Melody preached a sermon titled “unsung hero's”
Keith Green was a hero in ministry but no hero gets their alone. AMEN
Those who do not ever make it on a stage are “unsung heroes.”
5. GODS CALL IS FROM INACTION TO ACTION
Gods call requires a response - It is either Yes or No - Later means No
You could place a fleece before the Lord or ask for help. Either way the call stands. Your freewill takes over and you decide whether you want to or not.
Abraham called to action-From Shepherd to Leader
Moses a spoiled rich kid to humble Leader of a nation
David shepherd to king
Peter fisherman to fisher of men
Esther –orphan to queen – When she became queen she was challenged by her uncle In Esther ch 4:13 Mordecia tells Esther “13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
All of these men and women have a choice - any one of them could have said no or OK Lord
Action brings change
ALSO In regards to gods call
1. It is from heaven – and it involves others “– a people - a theme - a function”
2. It can be confirmed – Thru prayer
By others – Barnabas for paul and Priscilla and Aquilla gave to Appolos
Recognized thru The church leadership
- Thru Dreams ( ask God for one)
Joseph had a dream- It was all about leadership - His brothers hated it but his father pondered it. God rose him up in it thru difficult circumstances. It is anchored in faith, empowered thru the Spirit.
- Thru Leadership
Don’t worry about the world and its ways, God wants to lead you way beyond this.
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function,
5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;
7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching;
8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.
10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
6.GODS CALL CAN CHANGE OR BE REPEATED.
CONCLUSION
I really like it when it said - Let your love be genuine.
When you become genuine in what you do - your love shines through - AMEN.
If you would be the best you - you can be - God will use you in ways that will blow your mind.
He is the potter you are the clay - He created you for a purpose.
For good works
11 ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.