Called Out

My Story, To Be Continued…

“Called Out”

Intro

In thinking about what to say to you tonight, I wanted to share with you what I am going through; not so I can just unload, but so that you can see how God works.  I have been teaching you the Word and God’s ways for 5 ½ yrs. now.  God has brought my time to a close here and has called me out.  But there is a double meaning to that.  Yes, God has called me out of here and said it is time to move on.  But when someone “calls you out” what does that mean?  It means they are calling you into account for the words or actions you have done. 

Hebrews 11

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV) "For we walk by faith, not by sight."

Fears

I have good contacts, and a great resume.  But none of those things has opened the door that God is leading us to.

My daughter starts Kindergarten this month…where?

I won’t have income or insurance, but still bills like gas, car insurance, etc.

Things are completely out of my control.

Feelings to fight

God has abandoned me

I have offended God, and He is punishing me.

Failure

Pride

Things to hold on to (Past)

I have a dream.  My calling is to “Preach the Word”  My God given dream is to “be a father to this generation,” and “to impact the nations for Christ.” 

There have been many challenges that I have had to face in the past, and with the Lord I have faced them.  But the journey doesn’t stop. 

I am reminded that all the people I respect from the past have had to go through some trials that tested them and I am sure caught them off guard. 

George Washington – believed in an ideal, was a great man of faith.  Was dogged by his enemy every step, narrowly escaping certain doom several times.  Outnumbered, outgunned, outclassed but held on to hope with a tenacity even when his rag tag group of men were freezing and starving.

Abraham – called out of everything he knew and was comfortable with.  He was a wealthy man of reputation where he was at.  God said “I’ve got something greater for you.”  He could have looked around and said “this is pretty good!” but he chose to believe, and he moved on with nothing but faith and a promise.  What he found was hardship, and trials before the promise ever came.

No idea how long it would take, or what the dream would look like when it arrived.

Jesus – Left perfection…literally.  Comfort, love, peace, everything.  Before His ministry started He was directed into the wilderness and was tempted by Satan himself…not some flunky demon.  He came back victorious, but was the journey over? No.  He still faced trials…not the least of which was the Cross.

How to approach the future

There was a seventeenth-century Puritan preacher, Thomas Fuller, who said that all mankind was divided into three classes: the intenders, the endeavorers, and the performers.

In other words the three classes are: those who have good intentions or plans, those who will begin things, and then those who will go forward and be finishers.

I intend to be a finisher.  We walk by faith.

I have good days and bad days.  Abraham and Sarah had good and bad days.  Abraham tried a short cut once and it led to Ishmael.  Sarah laughed at Abraham and in effect God when she was told the plan.  But they both were finishers. 

If God leads me to a time of wilderness or obscurity, will I forsake Him? 

Comes down to this.  With all of my complaining, fear, hurt and frustration, Jesus replies not with the answer I want, but with a question of His own “Will you trust me?”

"My Name is I Am"

I was regretting the past and fearing the future. Suddenly my Lord was Speaking:

"My name is I am"

He paused.

I waited. He continued.

"When you live in the past with its mistakes and regrets, it is hard.

"I am not there. My name is not I was.

"When you live in the future, with its problems and fears, it is hard.

I am not there. My name is not I will be!

"When you live in this moment it is not hard. I am here.

My name is I am."