The calling of God

Today I want to begin a series on a subject that is rarely talked about in the church but very much needed.

Learning what the call of God looks like on a man’s life and how our Lord Jesus gives those gifts of leadership to the church.

I want to give you an example of how confused we can be… I found this humorous story online.

I was working for a local volunteer ambulance corp, we were responding to a call with lights and sirens, when we approached an elderly woman in her car right in front of us.

Much to our annoyance nothing we did would make her get out of the way, until my driver got on the PA and said, "Please pull over to the right side."

Well she pulled over quite quickly to let us by.

Several hours had passed when returning to the base we saw the lady still pulled over on the side of the road. Thinking something was wrong, we jumped out and went to her.

She sat there just smiling at us.

When we questioned her as to why she was still sitting there, she explained, "God told me to pull over, and he hasn't yet said I could go."

We explained to her that it was us who had told her to pull over because we had gotten a call.

She was very insistent as to that it was God who told her.

Seeing that we weren't going to persuade her otherwise, we got back into the ambulance and pulled in behind her. My driver got back on the PA and said, "Madam you may now continue on your way."

She pulled off immediately and went on her way.

Unfortunately, because the church is not rooted in God’s Word the way it should be, it can be easy for people to be confused as to what looks like when God is speaking to us.

It can be equally as confusing to understand what it looks like for God to call a leader and how do we recognize them?

The world we live in is upside down by God’s standards and because we grew up in it many times we don’t even recognize we are confused until God’s Word sets us straight.

This world is run by the prince of the power of the air, the devil and he is continually tempting and redefining things so that man will trust in his own personal achievements, temporary accomplishments, and useless titles.

In fact the systems of this world depend upon academic achievement and acknowledging personal successes. Unfortunately, many churches have fallen into this death trap.

Jesus doesn’t care about any of that! Jesus cares about the heart!

Jesus cares about having a man that is born again as a new creation and the genuineness of his surrender to the gospel and ministry. Jesus cares about the quality of a man’s walk with Him, not how many degrees are on the wall or how many trophies are in the case.

It is my goal through this series to teach how God has callen his leaders throughout history and how the LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Furthermore, I will demonstrate though Scripture that this has not changed. That Jesus now more than ever sits on the throne and calls his servants, whomever they are, to speak and lead for him.